Pascal Gross has revealed his contest-killing goal was an eye-of-the-needle affair.

But he was just as pleased with the way he stayed switched on to help Glenn Murray set the ball rolling on a welcome Albion win.

Gross took his tally of Premier League assists to six after referee Roger East played an advantage when Aaron Cresswell took out Anthony Knockaert.

Not everyone seemed switched on, least of all the West Ham defender on the opposite side of the pitch to Murray, who played him onside.

But the German’s slide-rule pass between two opponents set up the one-on-one which Murray converted.

Gross appreciated East’s willingness to wait a second before whistling.

He told The Argus: “I think he saw the ball coming to me and, because he didn’t whistle, I kept playing.

“That is my job and I think I reacted quite quickly.

“If I had been a bit slower, there would have been an offside.

“I got the ball to Muzza and it was a good finish from him.

“We pushed at the beginning and scored and had a goal and and other chances.

“I thought 1-1 at half-time was a little unlucky because we started so well.

“We couldn’t get the second goal and then it is always difficult in this league.

“Every team has good players who can score goals.

“At half-time we just tried to focus on what we would do in the second half.”

It took a while for Albion to get back into their stride.

The opening period of the second half was a mess.

But they began to resume control and Jose Izquierdo restored the lead.

The key then was to open their first two-goal advantage at home since the day Gross scored twice against West Brom five months ago.

Gross headed a chance over and saw a slightly dragged shot slither wide via a defender’s touch.

And then came that moment when power and precision opened the 3-1 lead.

He took a pass into his stride, nicely moving it away from marker Angelo Ugbonna with his first touch.

And then he used Ugbonna’s presence to make life tough for Adrian in the Hammers’ goal.

Gross revealed: “I think it was a good first touch and then I tried to shoot through the legs of the defender.

“I think it is difficult for the goalkeeper when you do that.

“It is so important to win, it was massive.

“We were really pleased with our performance and our result.”