AS DEFEAT loomed, a small and hardy bunch of Clarets fans defiantly rose to their feet and 'out-boinged' the Baggies.

It was a typical display of bravado that Clarets fans have got used to putting on at visiting grounds down the years.

Once again they had seen their side give their all, only to leave with nothing to show for their efforts.

That Burnley should have gained anything after being on the receiving end of a second half onslaught is maybe debatable.

But 4-1 was a travesty as Albion's very own coiled spring sent an expectant and fevered crowd bouncing home with an extra 'boing' in their step.

Hughes is that vital cog in the machine - a spark that can ignite any game with one moment of sublime skill. Albion fans have waited exactly a year for their hero to fire on all cylinders and score his first league goal since returning 'home' last summer.

So when the illuminated board signalled his arrival early in the second half, with Burnley still threatening, you kind of expected the worst.

What those fans - and no doubt former Albion keeper Brian Jensen - could never have expected was the kind of strike worthy of sealing any victory at any level.

Only three minutes remained when he controlled a long ball, switched it onto his explosive left foot and, without breaking stride, belted a match-winning volley into Jensen's top right hand corner from 25-yards.

Hughes was up and running and, like Ribble double deckers, a second one instantly followed as he freewheeled away from a leggy David May and steered a beauty past the Beast.

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Those two individual moments of magic gave the scoreline a cruel, lopsided look after Burnley more than contributed to a game neutral TV viewers would surely have enjoyed.

Neutrality though is hard, especially when it's your team on the receiving end and looking up at the rest of the First Division.

It was also especially hard on David May, whose debut was ruined by Hughes' late, late show.

The former Manchester United defender was subjected to a televised baptism of fire, and for more than an hour before visibly tiring, May showed genuine signs of the class that has earned him a house full of medals and memorabilia.

He slotted in effortlessly at the heart of the defence, with Arthur Gnohere dropping down to fill the bench for the first time this season, and was helped by a blistering start from the Clarets, who impressively took the game to their hosts from the off.

Robbie Blake should have done better in the fourth minute after using his low centre of gravity to create an opening and firing weakly at Albion's England wannabe, Russell Hoult.

The Clarets weren't afraid to mix it either, as a couple of head-to-heads with Paul Weller and James O'Connor, then Mo Camara and Bernt Haas showed.

Such was the visitors dominance that it took Albion 25 minutes to register their first effort on target - a woeful free kick from the otherwise immaculate Jason Koumas.

So it was no real surprise when Burnley took a deserved lead two minutes later. Blake, ever-alert, tried his luck from a dead ball situation 35-yards out and the bend on the ball caught out Hoult, who tried to change direction far too late and could only parry the ball into his own net.

Haas - remember to pronounce the H! - almost levelled instantly with a vicious rising drive that curled into the side netting at the last minute.

But within seconds Koumas teed-up Macedonian skipper Artim Sakiri - the man who famously beat England keeper David Seaman direct from a corner in their EURO 2004 qualifier - whose 30-yard shot was even more spectacular as it ripped past Jensen for a sensational equaliser.

The few Burnley fans who made the midweek trek to Chesterfield witnessed an amazing goalmouth scramble involving Glen Little.

This time the watching nation witnessed another incredible sequence as Burnley hit back and somehow failed to restore the lead.

Blake and Tony Grant both found time and space in the Albion box before the former saw his goalbound effort hacked off the line by Adam Chambers.

The ball fell all-too invitingly for Alan Moore, lurking on the edge of the six-yard box, but his low drive cannoned off the left hand post with Hoult a helpless bystander.

Camara wasted another chance as the half ended, bursting into the penalty area and seeing his indecisive cross-cum-shot skid across goal.

But if the first half belonged to Burnley, the second unquestionably went to the Baggies. Koumas and James O'Connor took a stranglehold of the midfield and carved out chance after chance.

Lee Roche made a timely last-ditch tackle to deny Rob Hulse before the former Crewe man blazed over with the Clarets again stretched.

Jensen then saved well after Clement's shot deflected off May and threatened to sneak in at the near post.

But from the resulting corner, the defence finally waved the white flag and Hulse rose unmarked to head in off the post.

Fired-up Hulse smacked the inside of a post and Hughes fired over before Burnley thought they had earned the lifeline of a spot kick when Glen Little tumbled in the box.

But by then, everything was going the way of the home side and the respite was brief.

Hughes had waited 12-months for his moment of glory and it was Burnley who turned out to be the team that would pay the penalty.

WBA 4

Scorer: Sakiri 31, Hulse 58, Hughes 87, 89

BURNLEY 1

Scorer: Blake 27

The Hawthorns Att: 22,489