A goal from Saido Berahino on the stoke of half time has given West Bromwich Albion a slender lead over Crystal Palace at the interval.

Both sides starting slowly, but Palace carved out an early goalscoring opportunity when Adlene Guedioura tested Boaz Myhill after latching onto a flick-on by Marouane Chamakh.

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Neither team created anything else of substance in the final third from much of the first period, but the Baggies threatened from distance six minutes from the break, James Morrison shooting wide from 25 yards.

Both sides were forced into substitutions in the first period, with Adlene Guedioura going off injured for Palace and West Brom losing Billy Jones to a pulled hamstring.

West Brom edged their noses in front right on the stroke of half time when Berahino met Stephane Sessegnon's cutback with a stinging volley that left Julian Speroni stranded.