Relegation threatened West Brom ruined Robbie Fowler's Manchester City debut with a surprise Premiership victory at Maine Road.
The Baggies kept alive their survival hopes with their first win in nine league matches, a sequence stretching back to November.
While Gary Megson had plenty to savour as his side recorded only their second away win of the campaign, it was an altogether different story for Kevin Keegan.
City's bid to claim a top-six spot and qualify for Europe were dealt a serious setback. Keegan said: "Every time we get a chance to build up the castle, we knock it down.
"We had half and three quarter chances, but not enough to win, though it perhaps harsh to lose.
"We never got going but take nothing away from West Brom who worked hard." Megson was delighted with the battling qualities his side displayed explaining: "It gives everyone more belief that it is possible to stay up. It is not inevitable that we go down, though our position is tenuous.
"We showed we are capable of getting out of the mess we are in, and we have to keep battling on." Notoriously bad starters in recent weeks, City again fell behind when defender Neil Clement headed the Baggies in front in the 17th minute from a Jason Koumas corner.
City were back on level terms within five minutes when Phil Gilchrist unluckily put through his own goal as he attempted to head clear a cross from Kevin Horlock.
The Baggies sealed victory with 19 minutes remaining when City failed to clear a Koumas corner enabling defender Darren Moore to scramble home the loose ball from a couple of yards.
City were desperately disappointing, lacking attacking invention with Fowler, who completed a £6million move from Leeds 48 hours earlier, largely anonymous.
But Keegan was at pains to point out but Fowler will be judged over the three and a half years of his contract and not on one performance.