Kanu sparks for West Brom as temperature plummets

West Brom 2 Tottenham 0

On a bitterly cold night, with the pitchside temperature dipping to minus four before kick-off, Kanu brought a warm glow to manager Bryan Robson and the Baggies fans with a goal either side of the break.

Albion have now taken 10 points from their last four home games, all without conceding a goal, to ease their relegation fears.

They are in a far healthier position compared to a year ago when they propped up the Premiership, seemingly without a prayer of preserving their top-flight status.

Memorably, they survived by their skin of their teeth, something they should avoid this time around if they continue to raise their game as they did against Champions League-chasing Tottenham.

It was Kanu and Kamara who scythed through the visitors as early as the fourth minute, sparking a swift counter attack after fit-again captain Neil Clement had blocked a sidefoot shot from Jermain Defoe.

With the midfield dissected, Darren Carter was sent racing into the area for a shot that struck Michael Dawson, with the ball ricocheting off Paul Stalteri a yard past the left-hand post.

In the drama, onrushing goalkeeper Paul Robinson had collided with Dawson, temporarily stunning England's number one.

His recovery needed to be swift as he was called upon soon after as Albion went route one, with Kanu providing a deft flick to a long clearance from Tomasz Kuszczak.

Ellington was quick to react, and after weaving his way past tackles from Lee Young-Pyo and Dawson, his goalbound drive was blocked by Robinson before Stalteri hacked clear.

The visitors responded with a rare moment of first-half creativity in the 14th minute, with Edgar Davids playing a through ball into the feet of Defoe. The angle proved tight, but the England striker managed to fire in a first-time left-foot shot, albeit one comfortably smothered by Kuszczak.

With Albion the more creative, Robson's side duly grabbed the lead midway through the half, with Kanu scoring his fourth goal of the season.

Kamara and Ellington both played their part in the build up, although it was by good fortune the final pass sprung off Michael Carrick into Kanu's path.

The Nigerian shook off Dawson before coolly rounding the advancing Robinson and slipping a sidefoot shot into an empty net.

Jol's side barely raised the temperature of their own football above freezing point, and seven minutes after the break West Brom doubled their lead, with Kanu again finishing with quality.

Anthony Gardner, playing a senior game for the first time in more than three months after recovering from a ruptured thigh, let in Kanu with an error deep inside his own half.

The ball sprang off the Nigerian, and it seemed as if it would fall to Ellington. Kanu was first to the punch, assisted by Gardner as the defender attempted to atone for his mistake.

The outstretched nature of his tackle simply set up Kanu for a short run into the area and crisp drive under Robinson, with the brace his first since October 6, 2002, when he played for Arsenal.

As part of his celebrations, he picked up a ballboy to the left of the goal and held him in his arms for a few seconds before his team-mates then joined in a moment the youngster will never forget.

Jol made changes, bringing on Robbie Keane and Mido as he rotated his squad, but Kuszczak was barely troubled.

There were comfortable saves from Mido and Defoe, and a great deal of pressure in the closing stages, but no end product as Albion and man-of-the-match Kanu clinched a deserved victory.

WEST BROM: Kuszczak, Watson, Curtis Davies, Clement, Albrechtsen, Kamara (Moore 90), Wallwork, Carter, Greening, Ellington (Horsfield 90), Kanu (Campbell 86).

TOTTENHAM: Robinson, Stalteri, Dawson, Gardner, Lee, Routledge (Keane 55), Jenas (Brown 82), Carrick, Davids, Defoe, Rasiak (Mido 70).

Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).