WEST BROMWICH ALBION ignored a bizarre tennis ball protest from furious Bolton fans as the promotion-chasers moved into third place in the Championship with a 2-0 win at the Macron Stadium on Monday.
Bolton owner Ken Anderson has infuriated supporters with his running of the struggling club and some supporters threw dozens of tennis balls on to the pitch to delay the start of the match.
When play got underway, Bolton’s troubles continues as Jay Rodriguez’s first-half header steered Darren Moore’s side ahead.
Albion substitute Sam Field doubled their lead with 15 minutes left to end the Baggies’ run of three league games without a win.
Bolton fans had protested outside the ground before the game, holding aloft banners calling for Anderson to leave, and there were scuffles with stewards inside the stadium as their anger boiled over.
Albion are now just three points behind second placed Norwich in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Phil Parkinson’s Bolton sit second bottom of the table, three points from safety.
Darren Moore’s visitors led after 19 minutes when Chris Brunt sent a free-kick from the left to the back post.
Craig Dawson headed the ball back across the face of goal for Rodriguez to nod home from on the line.
Albion struck again in the 75th minute after Field, who replaced Brunt in the first half, latched on a pass to prod the ball beyond goalkeeper Ben Alnwick into the bottom corner.
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