Solly March admitted to relief after scoring the goal which lifted Albion out of the relegation zone.

The 20-year-old came off the substitutes’ bench to hit the second in a 2-0 win at Fulham.

Not only was it March’s first goal of the season, it was his first ever in the league. More important, though, was the result to Albion and caretaker manager Nathan Jones.

March said: “It was relief more than anything when that goal went in. It put us two goals clear and I don’t think we have been two goals clear in a long while. It gave us the cushion to get the win.

“It was a shock (when Sami Hyypia went). But we have been working hard. The players are the same so we knew we could go out there and do the job which we did. It is my first league goal. I have scored in the FA Cup before but it is not quite the same. Hopefully I can get more league goals.”

Goalkeeper David Stockdale revealed afterwards he had been suffering from the same viral infection that ruled out midfielders Jake Forster-Caskey and Gary Gardner.