DARREN Moore's delight at winning his heavyweight duel with Les Ferdinand summed up the tale of the unexpected as Wanderers came crashing down to earth at The Hawthorns.

"It was a great battle with Les, I knew it would be," said the man-mountain Albion defender.

"Les is a great pro, a fantastic guy to play against, and I have a lot of respect for him. I really got a lot of joy out of playing against him."

No wonder he was delighted. With all due respect to a good, honest pro, big Darren was only playing because Darren Purse was suspended. Even at 37, Sir Les should have been too hot for him to handle -- just as Wanderers should have been too strong for Albion.

But, as Sam Allardyce's teams have proved so often in the past, reputations count for nothing when managers and players are fighting for their Premiership lives.

Gary Megson went into the game believing his head was on the block. For all the assurances of his chairman, the feeling was that defeat would almost certainly cost him his job.

So it was no surprise to hear the players dedicate their first victory of the season to the manager himself.

"He's handled the situation very well," Moore said. "It's a credit to him the way that he's gone about his job. He's done a wonderful job at this football club since he came here and all he wants is to see the club progress.

"We've got our first win now and, hopefully, we can start moving forward and climb the table. I just hope people will talk about the win and not the manager's situation."

"We all know about the pressure the club has been under, but the only way we can answer that is by winning games. We've been close in previous games but this time we got across that finishing line."

Megson, whose name echoed round the stadium as Albion fans voiced their support for the man who has led them to two top-flight promotions in three seasons, refused to get carried away on the wave of emotion.

"It takes a little bit of pressure off," he said, relieved that Wanderers' only response to goals from Kanu and Zoltan Gera was a Stelios free kick that highlighted the frailties of his previously untroubled defence.

"But the only thing they won't throw at me now is the fact that we haven't won. The other things hanging around the place will still be here.

"It's been very difficult for the players. To give us a performance like that under these circumstances is terrific.

"Winning games creates a better atmosphere. It's about myself and the coaching staff. I can do nothing to change anything else. That's up to other people."