Anichebe Returns With A Bang

Nigeria international Victor Anichebe was back in the West Brom line up from a spell on the sidelines and he scored in the seven-nil thumping of  Gateshead in the third round of the FA Cup.

However, it was Saido Berahino scored four times for the Baggies to give Tony Pulis a winning start.

Baggies' record signing Brown Ideye was benched for the entire match duration at the Hawthorns.

It was not all plain sailing for the Premier League strugglers, as they were second best for much of the first half but goals from Berahino and the recalled Anichebe just before the break stunned the Conference National side.

New head coach Pulis, who was appointed as Alan Irvine's successor on New Year's Day and was given a rapturous reception from Albion fans, planned to watch the game from the stands but he was soon his usual animated self on the touchline as his side were lacklustre in the opening period.

The underdogs were made to pay for a lack of clinical finishing when Berahino struck three minutes ahead of half-time with a composed right-foot finish after Gateshead failed to deal with a Brunt free-kick.

Anichebe then dealt a body blow to Gateshead when he took a Berahino pass and rolled his marker before rifling into the roof of the net in first-half stoppage time.

There was more misery for Gary Mills' men less than a minute into the second half, when Berahino showed his class with a sublime measured right-foot strike inside the right-hand post to put Albion out of sight.

Anichebe almost doubled his tally with a low strike which forced a fine save from Adam Bartlett, but the Gateshead goalkeeper was unable to prevent Berahino from completing his hat-trick after 53 minutes.

The striker found the far corner of the net with a clinical first-time finish from 10 yards out after Chris Baird picked him out and Brunt added a fifth goal two minutes later as demoralised Gateshead crumbled.

Northern Ireland midfielder Brunt raced clear and rounded Bartlett before tucking the ball into the empty net after substitute Georgios Samaras picked him out.

Morrison added a sixth goal when he tapped home at the far post 11 minutes from time and Berahino had the final say with another stunning right-foot finish after 90 minutes as Gateshead failed to recover from Albion's blitz either side of half-time and bowed out with a heavy defeat.