West Bromwich Albion held on to beat Peterborough United as they brace themselves for the potential departure of captain Jonathan Greening.

The Albion skipper, who apparently wanted to play, was left out of the 18-man squad, with Fulham edging closer to securing a deal for the 30-year-old.

On the pitch, Albion were in cruise control for long periods thanks to a double from Luke Moore and a Chris Brunt goal. But Darren Ferguson’s men fought back and were unfortunate not to grab a draw. They scored in stoppage time at the end of the first half, through Craig Mackail-Smith, before hitting a second from Aaron Mclean. Graham Dorrans was sent off for a late foul on Charlie Lee, his second booking, but there wasn’t enough time left for the hosts.

It didn’t take Albion long to get off the mark – just two minutes, 23 seconds to be exact. Shelton Martis pumped the ball forward, Brunt challenged Tom Williams and the ball fell to Gabriel Zakuani. He failed to bring the ball under control, gifting possession to Luke Moore on the edge of the area. The Albion striker dragged the ball away from him and struck a low left-footed shot which squirmed underneath Joe Lewis.

Brunt was unfortunate in the 12th minute when he raced past the Posh defence to meet Graham Dorrans’ long ball. Finding himself in space, Brunt sent his chip over Lewis’ head but wide of the left-hand post.

The Baggies grabbed a second on 34 minutes when Russell Martin handed possession to Marek Cech. He played in Chris Wood, who spotted Moore peeling away from Zakuani. The ex-Villa man slammed his shot into the top corner.

It was three in the 41st minute. Moore, again showed his class, releasing Shaun Cummings down the right. The debutant’s low ball was fumbled by Lewis as he came under the challenge from Chris Wood. The loose ball fell for Brunt, who had the simplest of tasks to smash the ball into the top of the net.

The home side hit back in the first minute of injury time. Mackail-Smith raced in behind Mattock to head in Batt’s long ball.

Peterborough’s second arrived eight minutes after the interval. Mulumbu handed possession straight to Peterborough. Boyd took the ball past Cummings and delivered a low cross which was brilliantly turned in from close range by Mclean. The home fans erupted once more in the 57th minute when Mackail-Smith headed in from close range after Mclean challenged Carson for a long Boyd cross, but referee Graham Horwood was well-placed to spot a foul on the Albion keeper.

Yet Morgan almost played his own side into trouble in the 63rd minute when he under-cooked a backpass to Joe Lewis, allowing Moore to nip in. The Albion man tried to take the ball past Lewis but was denied by the home keeper.

Jerome Thomas, making his debut, was close to Albion’s fourth late on when he ran past two challenges but saw his effort saved by Lewis’ legs. Dorrans was dismissed in the final moments of injury time but Albion just about clung on.

Scorers: Moore (3) 0-1, Moore (34) 0-2, Brunt (41) 0-3, Mackail-Smith (45) 1-3, Mclean (53) 2-3.

PETERBROUGH (4-4-2): Lewis, Lee, Morgan (Rowe, 77), Zakuani, Williams (Martin, 15), Batt, Diagouraga (Frecklington, 63), Coutts, Boyd, Mclean, Mackail-Smith. Substitutes: Keates, McKeown, Pearce, Green.

ALBION (4-4-2): Carson, Cummings, Martis, Olsson, Mattock, Brunt, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Cech (Thomas 66), Moore (Beattie, 88), Wood (Koren, 54). Substitutes: Kiely (gk), Barnett, Reid, Cox.

Referee: G Horwood (Bedfordshire)

Attendance: 8,752.

Albion man of the match: Luke Moore.