West Bromwich Albion 5 Scunthorpe United 0

West Bromwich Albion are in danger of spoiling their supporters as they served up another fantastic home performance to dispatch plucky Scunthorpe with ease.

Tony Mowbray's side have now scored 13 goals in their last three fixtures at The Hawthorns and they could have scored even more against an Iron side that was forced to play with ten men for over half the game.

Once again, Kevin Phillips was the destructor-in-chief with a brace to take his goal tally to 15 in just 14 starts this season; he should have been holding the match ball aloft but for a 58th-minute penalty which was saved by former Albion goalkeeper Joe Murphy.

Phillips, who is out of contract in the summer, is fast becoming Albion's key man and his two finishes were Premiership class, even if United manager Nigel Adkins did not appreciate his first goal. Adkins was sent to the stands for protesting too vigorously as Phillips looked off-side when he received James Morrison's raking long ball before hammering a half-volley into the top corner from the edge of the box.

His second was a sublime chip over the 'keeper and two defenders on the line to make it 3-0 in the 52nd minute. Phillips had played Morrison in on goal but Murphy had done well to stop Morrison's effort and Phillips followed up with a quality finish.

But the goal charts prove there is more to Albion than just Phillips' incredible record. In fact, players are chipping in with goals from all over the pitch.

Midfielder Robert Koren effectively killed off United when he fired home at the second attempt for his seventh goal of the season just before half-time, Zoltan Gera scored a stunner for his fourth goal in five games and Craig Beattie came off the bench to score his third of the season with another fantastic finish.

Gera rifled a right-footed shot on the half-volley into Murphy's top corner in the 78th minute and Beattie curled a delighted shot past Murphy from a similar position just three minutes later.

"There were some great individual finishes," Mowbray said. "Beattie's was an amazing finish, Gera's was an amazing finish, Phillips' was an amazing finish - they were wonder goals.

"We almost had a goal-of-the-season competition on the day. They were fairly spectacular."

The goal count should have been more after Ishmael Miller replaced the tiring Roman Bednar at half-time. Miller, who has had to wait his turn after returning from injury because of the form of the big Czech Republic striker, forced Murphy to pull off three excellent saves and won the penalty that was missed by Phillips.

There was no doubt that the sending-off of United left back Marcus Williams was a deciding factor in the final scoreline, if not the outcome.

Williams was penalised for pulling back Gera as he chased a long ball from Pele. It didn't look as if Gera knew where the ball was and that the ball may have run harmlessly through to Murphy, but Williams still tugged back the Hungarian midfielder and referee Neil Swarbrick produced a straight red card.

If there is one team in the Championship that is tailor-made to take advantage of playing against ten men, it is Albion. They passed and probed and made the visitors chase shadows for much of the second half with captain Jonathan Greening pulling the strings just in front of the back four.

To their credit, Scunthorpe never gave up and created a couple of bright moments themselves. The largely redundant Dean Kiely had to be on his toes to tip an Ian Morris header onto the bar in the 64th minute and then did even better to get to his feet to push Cleveland Taylor's follow-up over the bar.

The victory put Albion three points clear at the top of the Championship and the question is whether they push on from this position. The Championship has been characterised this season by the number of teams who have taken top spot and then have failed to cope with the pressure, most notably Watford and Charlton Athletic. Top spot has almost become a poisoned chalice.

However, Albion continually prove they have the arsenal to fire themselves into a commanding lead in the race for the Premiership.

A key period will be the next month when the transfer window is open. On this evidence, Albion will not have to do too much business, although a defender of Mowbray's stature would not go amiss.

Despite the performances of Phillips, Gera, Greening and Co, it was Mowbray's name that rang around The Hawthorns throughout the second half. The understated Albion manager will not get too carried away, but he can have plenty of reason to smile - strictly in private, of course.

Scorers: Phillips (35), Koren (45), Phillips (52), Gera (77) Beattie (81).
WEST BROMWICH ALBION: Kiely, Hoefkens, Cesar, Pele, Robinson, Koren (Brunt 76), Greening, Morrison, Gera, Bednar (Miller 46), Phillips (Beattie 61). Subs: Albrechtsen, Filipe Teixeira.
SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Murphy, Youga, Baraclough, Crosby, Williams, Cork, Goodwin (Hayes 87), Morris, Taylor, Forte (Winn 87), Paterson (Ameobi 59). Subs: Lillis, Hurst.
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).
Sending- off: Scunthorpe - Williams (professional foul).
Bookings: Scunthorpe - Goodwin (foul).
Attendance: 25,238