Baggies beat 10-man Villa

West Brom claimed their first league win at Aston Villa since 1979 thanks to Paul Scharner's winner.

Herd red-carded in incident packed derby

West Brom claimed their first league win at Aston Villa since 1979 thanks to a dramatic 2-1 victory.

Paul Scharner bagged the winning goal for the Baggies with a well-taken effort just before the hour mark, but the game turned on its head after an incident-packed first half.

Villa took the lead when they were gifted a penalty when confusion between Ben Foster and Steven Reid allowed Gabriel Agbonlahor to win the ball and the keeper brought the striker crashing down. England international Darren Bent duly dispatched the resulting spot-kick.

However, things took a dramatic turn when Villa's Chris Herd was sent off after assistant referee Darren Cann saw what was deemed as a stamp by the Australian on Jonas Olsson.

Referee Phil Dowd concurred, but to the joy of the Villa faithful, Chris Brunt fired his spot-kick hopelessly wide.

However, it was only a momentary respite as the Baggies restored parity on the stroke of half-time when Brunt's comer was headed home by Olsson.

And Scharner made sure that the visitors would record back-to-back derby wins with a well-taken volley from Brunt's inswinging corner.

Loss

Bent squandered a golden chance to put Villa ahead after five minutes.

Barry Bannan failed to make proper contact on his shot but it fell straight to the feet of Bent unmarked eight yards out. The England striker looked certain to score but scooped his shot over the crossbar.

Alan Hutton was booked for a touchline tackle on Shane Long who was replaced after 20 minutes by Tchoyi.

Billy Jones became the first Albion player to be booked for bringing down N'Zogbia.

Villa took the lead after 23 minutes after a mix-up between Reid and goalkeeper Foster.

Reid tried to chest the ball back to Foster but Agbonlahor nipped in and was brought down by the on-loan Birmingham goalkeeper. Up stepped Bent to send Foster the wrong way from the spot.

Herd was impressing in midfield for Villa with his industry and commitment but was sent off after 34 minutes after an apparent off-the-ball clash in the penalty area with Olsson.

Dowd brandished a straight red card before pointing to the penalty spot. Brunt failed to take advantage as he drilled his spot-kick wide.

Villa defender Hutton then suffered a head injury in an aerial clash with N'Zogbia and was replaced by Carlos Cuellar after 42 minutes.

Shay Given produced a fine save to keep Villa in front when he turned aside a shot on the turn from Tchoyi.

But a minute before half-time Olsson brought the Baggies level when he outjumped the Villa defence to head home Brunt's corner.

Advantage

Albion tried to make their numerical advantage count after the break and Given parried away a fierce drive from Youssouf Mulumbu.

Olsson again climbed above the Villa defence in a replica of Albion's equaliser but this time he headed Brunt's corner over the crossbar.

The visitors were not to be denied and after 57 minutes Scharner put them ahead with Villa again caught out at a corner. Agbonlahor failed to deal with Brunt's corner at the near post and Scharner reacted in an instant and volleyed home via the underside of the bar.

Given was booked after showing dissent when disputing the award of a corner and then Mulumbu was booked for chopping down Agbonlahor.

Villa enjoyed a spell of pressure and James Collins got on the end of a Bannan corner but directed his header wide.

Villa substitute Marc Albrighton then tried to chip Foster but was off the mark.

But Albion still looked threatening on the break and Given came racing out of his box to deny Baggies substitute James Morrison.

Peter Odemwingie should have made it 3-1 in injury-time but miskicked with the goal at his mercy.