Albion’s survival hopes were given a massive boost after they made it back-to-back home league wins for the first time this season with a convincing 2-0 defeat of Leeds.

Goals in each half from Sam Baldock and Inigo Calderon secured a valuable three points against a Leeds side who arrived at the Amex on the back of three successive wins.

With Rotherham and Millwall both losing, Albion moved six points clear of the relegation zone ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bolton.

In the 100th competitive fixture at the Amex, Chris Hughton made just one change from the side that beat Birmingham 4-3 on Saturday with Craig Mackail-Smith replacing Leon Best.

The excellent Joao Teixeira spurned a good chance to open the scoring on 14 minutes, heading narrowly wide of the far post after a great run into the box to meet Mackail-Smith’s cross from the left.

The breakthrough came on 26 minutes and Mackail-Smith was involved again, sprinting away down the right on to Calderon’s pass and crossing low for Baldock who timed his run to perfection to slot home a fourth goal of the season.

It could have been 2-0 three minutes later as Teixeira robbed a defender of possession, drove forward and played in Mackail-Smith whose shot was saved by keeper Marco Silvestri at the near post.

Albion now had a grip on the game. Leeds survived when Sol Bamba mis-kicked Bruno’s cross, then Calderon had the ball in the net but the offside flag was up.

The visitors were forced into a change early in the second half as striker Steve Morison limped off to be replaced by Edgar Cani.

Calderon then threatened to make it three goals in two goals with a cross-shot which flew well wide.

Albion responded to some added urgency from the visitors with a couple more chances, defender Scott Wootton making a great interception as Teixeira waited to get on the end of a cross and then Mackail-Smith’s shot being held by Silvestri.

Albion had further chances to put the game out of reach, the roaming Teixeira twice being denied by the Leeds keeper.

The pressure was building and a second goal finally arrived on 64 minutes when Beram Kayal’s shot after cutting in from the left was pushed out by Silvestri on to the head of Calderon and back into the net.

Leeds twice threatened to halve the arrears, first Bamba heading over Luke Murphy’s corner from a good position and then David Stockdale saving with his legs from substitute Souleymane Doukara.

But the visitors deserved nothing from this game and Albion could have won more convincingly.

In the closing stages a Dale Stephens header was pushed on to the bar by Silvestri who then used his legs to keep out the follow up from fellow substitute Chris O’Grady.

Then at the death Teixeira struck a post with a low angled shot which bounced back into the keeper's hands.

Albion: Stockdale; Bruno, Greer, Dunk, Bennett; Ince, Kayal (sub Stephens 73); Calderon, Teixeira, Baldock (sub LuaLua 75); Mackail-Smith (sub O’Grady 81). Subs not used: Hughes, Ledesma, Best, Walton.

Leeds: Silvestri; Wootton, Cooper, Bamba, C.Taylor; Cook, Murphy; Mowatt (sub Doukara 73), Austin, Sloth (sub Antenucci 59); Morison (sub Cani 49). Subs not used: Berardi, Del Fabro, Sharp, S.Taylor.