A sun-drenched Ewood roared its approval as Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side became the first Rovers team to win their opening three league games since 1988/89.

They leaned on every ounce of energy on a leg-sapping afternoon to see out a tense 11 additional minutes, doing so with a makeshift backline.

Ben Brereton showed two moments of quality to score one and set up the other for Sam Gallagher either side of half time, with Rovers roaring out of the blocks after the re-start and threatened to blow the visitors away.

A fortuitous Grady Diangana strike ended Rovers’ run without conceding, but with Daniel Ayala a man mountain in their heart of a patched-up backline, and the crowd urging them on, they just about held on.

An injury to Scott Wharton offered Ash Phillips, just six weeks after his 17th birthday, the opportunity to make his league debut.

While Rovers came into the game with a 100 per cent start, West Brom were equally in positive mood having taken points off fellow promotion-chasers Watford and Middlesbrough and beaten Sheffield United in the cup.

With Jed Wallace secured from Millwall on a free transfer, the Baggies completed one of the division’s stand-out pieces of business in the summer, and he was always expected to be a threat.

It was his second minute corner that an unmarked Darnell Furlong headed over the top before John Swift tested Thomas Kaminski with a long-range free kick that the ‘keeper was equal to.

Ryan Hedges’ had been Rovers’ in-form man in the opening two league matches, with three assists already to his name. He almost got a fourth as he fired a ball across goal, after being well found by Callum Brittain, which was turned towards his own goal by Jake Livermore and well kept out by a surprised David Button.

The stand-out chance of the opening 20 minutes went the way of the visitors. It was created by Wallace, another fine delivery from the right had Kaminski hesitating, with Grady Diangana stealing a march on Callum Brittain, but he could only head wide.

Rovers weren’t taking a backward step though, despite the visitors shaping the opening exchanges. They were committed in the tackle, and also willing to push players forward in attack.

The Lewis Travis and Jake Livermore battle in the middle of the park was bubbling up nicely, but while Rovers were working hard to contain the West Brom threat, they were struggling to create much for themselves.

Yet a moment of Chilean international quality handed them the lead four minutes before the break. Brittain found Gallagher whose touch was taken on by Brereton, his short expertly finding the bottom corner.

A Rovers defence already without a regular in Wharton, his run of 32 consecutive league starts coming to an end, Tomasson was forced into another alteration as Brittain had to be replaced.

Tyler Morton was on, and involved in Rovers’ second goal which arrived three minutes after the restart.

The hosts flew out of the blocks, Brereton and Morton linking up before the scorer of Rovers’ first teed up Gallagher who rocketed a left foot shot into the corner.

Rovers’ intensity was proving too much to the visitors who looked shell-shocked so soon after they had emerged for the second half.

It was very much a makeshift defence for Rovers however, John Buckley moving to right back to accommodate Brittain’s departure and the arrival of Morton.

Yet the full-blooded challenges continue, Morton in particular sharp into the tackle, while Phillips threw himself in the way of a Conor Townsend long-ranger.

Rovers had brought up 330 minutes of football this season without conceding. That sequence was broken by a huge slice of fortune as Diangana’s shot took a huge deflection off the unfortunate Phillips to wrong-foot Kaminski and find the corner.

The whole momentum and feeling around Ewood change, the Baggies revitalised and re-energised by the goal and also a triple substitution made by Steve Bruce.

Rovers’ task became even more difficult when Phillips had to be replaced, with Tayo Edun on in his place as Pickering moved to centre back.

Tyrhys Dolan and Bradley Dack were then sent on as Rovers also looked to add more energy to their side.

Dack had a shot blocked soon after his introduction, but it was the Rovers goal most under threat, Kaminski making a brilliant stop as he threw himself infront of a Karlan Grant shot as the striker looked set to turn in a Diangana cross.

Rovers were out on their feet, the fans trying their best to raise their voices, and subsequently the energy levels of those on the pitch in what was sapping heat.

The 11 minutes of added time that were signalled did little to ease the building tension, with Dack and Travis booked in quick succession as Rovers tried desperately to hold out.

Hearts were in mouths in the eighth of those, Kaminski coming for a corner that he didn’t get, but Semi Ajayi’s header drifted wide of the far post.

Ewood stood to its feet at the final whistle as Rovers saw out a win to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season.