Mowbray delighted with comeback kings

Despite Albion again conceding from a set-piece in only the third minute of the game Tony Mowbray praised his battling Baggies side as they extended their lead at the top of the Championship to two points.

Former midfielder James O'Connor opened the scoring for the visitors in the opening exchanges of the first-half after the Baggies once again failed to deal with a set-piece. However, just as in the last home game at The Hawthorns Tony Mowbray saw his team comeback from a losing position to gain valuable points in the race for promotion.

"It was a well-deserved three points," the Albion boss claimed.

"The general flow of the game was going towards their goal.

"Rather than creating lots and lots of chances, we got into some great positions to score goals.

"But you have to give Burnley lots of credit.

"You can see why they've got the second-best away record in the league.

"They're a good football team, move the ball around the pitch and have a system that suits them.

"They gave us a few problems and we gave them a goal start, which we seem to be doing most weeks.

"Thankfully, we had enough quality to get the three points."

'Bostin' Cesar's first goal at The Hawthorns got the Baggies back on level terms after scoring an acrobatic volley from a Jonathon Greening corner in the 26^th minute. The Baggies deservedly took the lead through Roman Bednar's 12^th goal in as many games as the Czech striker finished off a flowing move down the left with a pin-point header on the hour mark.

The points could, and should, have been secured in the 70^th minute when Robert Koren stepped up to take the penalty he won but saw his effort saved by another former Baggie, Brian Jensen - the spot-kick miss was Albion's third consecutive failure on home turf this season.

"Sometimes a penalty is a psychological thing," Mowbray added.

"You think you've already scored the goal before it goes in the back of the net.

"If you miss a penalty, it gives the opposition a lift and flattens you for a little bit because, in today's case, you haven't got that two-goal barrier.

"But we saw it out.

"There has been other days when we might not have seen it out, especially when the opposition are pushing their big men forward late on and putting the ball in the box.

"I think it was the right result with the way the game went and the chances and possession we had.

"The bottom line is that after the initial ten minutes we showed great determination to make sure we didn't lose this game.

"We deserved the equaliser and, if we'd have scored the penalty, it would have been easier."

Despite working hard in training after the Preston defeat Albion yet again conceded for the third time in two games from a set-piece with Tony Mowbray optimistic defending in the remain league games will improve.

"We've done a lot of work this week on defending set-plays," the boss insisted.

"But, if I was a betting man, I'd have put money on us to concede from the first one we had against us.

"Sometimes, the more you work on things, the more it becomes an issue in your mind.

"It's about getting that balance and not making the players paranoid about it.

"I'm sure we'll improve in that area."