Hello and welcome to live text coverage of this afternoon's Premier League clash between West Brom and West Ham United.

Another glorious chance for West Brom. Graham Dorrans swings in a corner and Odemwingie is unmarked in the West Ham box. However, the striker's tame header is straight at Green and the opportunity goes begging.

West Ham's Demba Ba attempts a flicked header, but he ends up taking it away from strike partner Carlton Cole and West Brom are able to clear. Those two are just not clicking as of yet.

A West Brom free-kick from the left flank is headed towards goal by Fortune, but Green is on hand to comfortably pluck the ball out of the air.

West Brom sub: The Baggies are forced into an early change as James Morrison comes on for Youssouf Mulumbu who was struggling.

West Brom come very close to making it 3-0. Jerome Thomas runs onto a long-ball over the top, he takes it past Green but loses his balance with the goal gaping. Thomas claims his shoulder was hauled down but no penalty is given.

West Ham are trying to regroup and have begun getting some joy down the Hammers left through the forward runs of Wayne Bridge, but they keep giving the ball away and the Baggies look dangerous on the counter.

West Ham are all over the place and it's 2-0. They give possession away in the middle of the park far too easily and Fortune collects on the left wing. He tees it up for Jerome Thomas to send a curling effort from just outside the box past an unstretched Green into the far corner of the goal.

GOAL FOR WEST BROM! WEST BROM 2-0 WEST HAM (Jerome Thomas)

West Brom come close to a quick second. Peter Odemwingie forces Green into a low save with a shot from the right wing. The ball falls into the path of Chris Brunt, but Fortune inadvertently blocks his goal-bound effort on the Hammers' goalline.

What a start to Roy Hodgson's tenure, who is watching his new team from the stands. The returning Graham Dorrans collects the ball from 30 yards out and drills it past a stricken Green into the roof of the net.

GOAL FOR WEST BROM! WEST BROM 1-0 WEST HAM (Graham Dorrans)

Promising opening for West Brom as Marc-Antoine Fortune forces Robert Green into a low save from a central position.

And West Brom get us underway kicking from left to right.

With just two points separating 17th-placed West Brom and 20th-placed West Ham, there is plenty at stake today at a very sunny Hawthorns.

The reverse fixture this season at Upton Park,

And the two teams are just about ready to make their way out onto the Hawthorns pitch...

West Ham's Senegalese striker Demba Ba makes his first start following his January move from Hoffenheim. Ba replaces the in-form Victor Obinna in the Hammers' attack, and partners Carlton Cole.

In the head-to-head stakes, West Brom are unbeaten in their last three Premier League matches against West Ham, drawing the last two. But the Hammers have won two of their last three Premier League visits to the Hawthorns - the East London club's only defeat in their last seven visits was a 3-2 reverse dating back to September 2008.

How close can you get to the number 100... West Brom have earned 99 points and scored 99 goals in the Premier League at the Hawthorns,

For West Brom, Graham Dorrans starts after a twisted ankle kept the Scottish midfielder out of action for three weeks, but Marek Cech is still unavailable with a groin strain. Baggies striker Peter Odemwingie will be hoping to add to his seven goals scored at the Hawthorns in this Premier League season so far.

West Ham captain Matthew Upson misses out after suffering a recurrence of an Achilles injury, while James Tomkins and on-loan striker Robbie Keane are sidelined with calf problems. Long-term absentee Thomas Hitzlsperger takes his place on the Hammers' bench.