But in the final quarter hour, with Pardew beginning to dream of a first win in eight games, Albion lost captain Jonny Evans to injury and Jordon Ibe almost immediately curled a superb 25-yard shot into the corner of the net.

And worse was to follow for the visitors as Junior Stanislas produced an equally impressive strike from a free-kick a minute from time to inflict a seventh straight defeat on Pardew's rock-bottom side.

The result dropped them 10 points below the safety line after Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Huddersfield to move out of the relegation zone.

James Tomkins steered Palace in front from Luka Milivojevic's corner in the first half and the defender had another effort cleared off the line just after the hour mark.

Milivojevic made the points safe midway through the second half with a penalty after Mathias Jorgensen brought down Andros Townsend as Palace lifted themselves ahead of Southampton and West Ham to 16th.

Stoke, in 19th, lost ground on their relegation rivals as Cenk Tosun's double earned Everton victory at a snowy Bet365 Stadium.

Stoke's Charlie Adam was sent off on the half hour for a reckless lunge at Wayne Rooney and while Everton were slow to make the extra man count, they finally took the lead in the 69th minute when Tosun scrambled the ball home from close range.

Stoke substitute Eric Choupo-Moting bravely stabbed home Joe Allen's free-kick to equalise, taking a painful kick from keeper Jordan Pickford as he did so which required him to be immediately replaced by Jese just seven minutes after coming on.

Tosun, though, restored the Toffees' lead with a diving header from Theo Walcott's cross to send a stadium-record crowd of 30,022 home disappointed.

- PA