Premier League: West Brom 0 Stoke 3

Stoke City triumphed in a clash of two opposing styles as Matthew Etherington and a Jonathan Walters’ brace set up a 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

Stoke hold a remarkable stranglehold over their bitter rivals, having tasted defeat just once in the last 28 meetings with their fellow football league founders.

Having comfortably beaten Liverpool in their previous outing, Tony Pulis named the same starting XI again but his plan lasted all of 11 minutes with Tuncay replacing winger Jermaine Pennant after the Real Zaragoza loanee picked up an early hamstring injury.

Youssouf Mulumbu’s 22nd-minute screamer, which was a little too high to test Asmir Begovic, and Ryan Shawcross’ vital headed intervention to stop Albion seizing on Giles Barnes’ 30th-minute cross were the only noteworthy moments of a dire first half.

The opening exchanges of the second period offered scant hope of any further improvement until Stoke edged themselves into the lead in the 55th minute.

Having survived a half-hearted appeal inside their own area moments earlier, the visitors quickly broke on the counterattack where Albion goalkeeper Scott Carson went walkabout off his line to bring down Kenwyne Jones two yards inside the box.

With defensive cover behind him, many might argue that the former England shot stopper’s intervention was unnecessary but with referee Chris Foy quick to point to the spot, Etherington neatly tucking the penalty kick inside the keeper’s left hand post to break the deadlock.

Etherington’s first goal of the season provided just the spark that this so far dreary derby had needed with Albion starting to rediscover their earlier conviction in the opposition half.

However, West Brom’s last lingering hope was snuffed out five minutes from time when Simon Cox brought down Dean Whitehead, and with Etherington substituted, his replacement Walters first buried Stoke’s second spot kick in identical fashion to their first and then put the gloss on the win in injury time to ensure that the Potters retained their impeccable modern era record against the Baggies.

West Brom are now without a win in the Premier League for five matches.