Albion have developed a welcome habit of passing their first test in the FA Cup over the years.

A 2-1 extra-time uccess at West Bromwich was the 13th time in the last 16 seasons they have overcome their first hurdle in the famous old competition.

Or fifth time in the last six years.

Neal Maupay’s first cup goal for the club ensured there was no repeat of penalty shoot outs they have survived at Woking, Wrexham and Newport in those opening ties of yesteryear.

Once they had drawn level through Jakub Moder against a Baggies side down to ten men, Albion should probably have won this tie in the 90 minutes.

They were certainly a lot closer to 3-1 or 4-1 in the extra 30 than being dragged into a shoot out at a venue where they failed from the penalty spot last year.

As in most of those previous ties, however, events in the cup will have been largely viewed against a context of how it might affect things in the league.

Be it in a positive or negative way.

Albion have no obvious need to consider this long afternoon in the Black Country as a hindrance to what they are looking to achieve in the Premier League.

Quite the opposite in fact. It might help in some ways.

And that’s quite apart from the obvious fact that going to extra-time allowed them to get this tie out of the way.

They can now clear the league fixture at home to Chelsea rather than face an unwanted replay against the Baggies in midweek.

So the additional half-hour served its purpose in that respect.

It also gave Albion chance to keep things rolling after their recent run of seven points from three games.

Unless there were strains or knocks sustained of which we are not aware, the prolonged run out in the cup will have done no harm.

It will actually have offered some key men more time to keep ticking over.

As it was rightly pointed out to Graham Potter when he spoke to reporters via Zoom, his substitutions worked well.

Of course when you can make five changes and game lasts two hours, it opens up a lot more opportunity for the subs to have an impact.

Four of the five sent on here may well start when league action resumes.

None made as much impact as Jakub Moder, who equalised with the sort of emphatic finish we have not seen in the league.

His willingness to use that long stride to get him well forward has yet to result in a Prem goal, a fact he plays down as he cites the greater aim of the team winning.

But he has now scored in both cup competitions and goals from more areas is something Albion are looking for in the second half of the season.

Potter was pleased the subs did their bit.

He said: “That’s something we have talked about a lot this year in terms of the guys being ready to play and ready to help the team.

“That has been a really common theme throughout the season from substitutes helping us and having an impact.

“Obviously, we’re at a stage where everyone wants to play but we can only field 11.

“But it’s about being ready to have an impact when you come and I think the guys did that really well.”

Moder, like Alexis Mac Allister, has made impressive progress as a starter in the league of late.

He plays down his need for goals but it would be a very handy string to add.

Moder told BBC Radio Sussex: “I think I could have more goals. I’ve had some chances.

“But I think it’s not very important for me.

“More important is to get the points, get the wins.

“I don’t really think about the goals and the assists.”

Another plus for Potter will have been time for three young players.

The most obvious to ask him about was Evan Ferguson given the much talked about teen striker had an impact in attack.

He poked the ball through for Moder to strike on 81 minutes, then lobbed inches over and later had a close range goal disallowed for offside.

Kjell Scherpen was fairly untroubled in goal and Odel Offiah, a versatile defender, grew in assurance at right wing-back before suffering an ankle injury.

Potter said: “It’s important for those guys to feel what it’s like to play first team football.

“It’s a tricky one because the main aim is to win the football match, it’s not about bringing young lads through, it’s about winning.

“But if we can do both, that’s great.”

The story of the game was not unlike Albion’s FA Cup replay win at the same venue three seasons ago.

Danny Welbeck and Maupay were denied by former Albion goalkeeper David Button in the first half.

West Brom, as they did in 2019, went ahead after the interval, Callum Robinson finishing in style after being teed up by Karlan Grant.

Albion’s increased urgency was helped by two quickfire bookings for Baggies defender Cedric Kipre.

Maupay’s flick started the move from which Moder levelled and a late onslaught saw Button save superbly low to his left from Mac Allister.

The winner was turned in right-footed by Maupay after Leandro Trossard’s clever dummy of a low Moder cross.

Trossard had an impact. Marc Cucurella added tempo when he went on.

It did not all go totally to script for Potter but it might all work out well as the first hurdle was cleared again.

West Brom: Button; Kipre, Bartley, Townsend; Furlong, Livermore (Cleary 100),Gardner-Hickman (Ashworth 68), Reach; Robinson (Taylor 79), Phillips (Diangana 64), Ahearne-Grant (Fellows 79). Subs Not Used: Hugill, Tulloch, De Castro, Palmer.

Sent Off: Kipre (69).

Booked: Livermore, Kipre, Townsend, Reach.

Goals: Robinson 47.

Albion: Scherpen; Veltman (Ferguson 76), Duffy, Burn; Offiah (Cucurella 55), Gross, Mwepu (Mac Allister 28), Alzate (Moder 76), March; Welbeck (Trossard 56), Maupay. Subs Not Used: Sanchez, Roberts, Leonard, Turns.

Goals: Moder 81, Maupay 98.

Att: 8,208 Ref: Robert Jones (Merseyside).