West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Mowbray described his side’s first-half defending as woeful as they lost 2-1 to Newcastle - but was more concerned with his side’s lack of cutting edge.

The Baggies created more than enough chances again and dominated possession, especially in the second half - but a solitary strike from Ishmael Miller, his first of the season, was all Albion had to show for their efforts.

Mowbray said: “We were playing against a team not thriving on confidence and we had an opportunity to come here and put pressure on them - but we threw that out of the window with some very poor defending and gave ourselves too much to chase.

“We got back into the game after the break but we are just not clinical enough. I don’t know what the shot count was tonight but we had plenty of them

“Ishmael could be sitting top goalscorer in the Premier League if he had taken all his chances and I am delighted that he scored because that will give him a bit of confidence.”

Despite an uncharacteristically tentative start, Albion grew in confidence as the game wore on and dominated the match after the break.

Mowbray added: “I like my team. I think we are a good football side but areas of our performance here were uncharacteristic.

“We have kept clean sheets at Bolton and Middlesbrough and kept Arsenal out from four minutes onwards but we started very poorly tonight.

“That said, you watch the team play in the second half and you have to think we will be fine this season. The way we move and retain the ball and push teams back is good but we have to stick the ball in the net.

“Either the strikers we have here now do it, or I will go and get somebody in January who can do it.”