*West Bromwich Albion were comfortable winners in the West Midlands derby as two goals in four late first-half minutes disposed of punchless Aston Villa.*

With top scorer Tammy Abraham firing blanks for once, Villa were well beaten as their total of home goals conceded this season rose to 32 in 17 games, the worst in English football’s top four divisions.

Hal Robson-Kanu headed the first on 41 minutes, before Baggies joint top scorer Jay Rodriguez fired home a 20-yard shot off the post just four minutes later, although a subtle deflection took it beyond Villa keeper Lovre Kalinic.

Fourth-placed Albion stay within six points of top spot in the Championship - but Villa are now seven points adrift of the play-off places.

Villa wasted their best chance early in the first half when Abraham, who had scored in all his side’s last eight home games, for once fluffed his lines.

After Albion’s defence got in a right muddle, Andre Green’s square pass found Abraham unmarked 12 yards out, but he took a poor first touch and that gave Sam Johnstone - who was on loan at Villa last season - the chance to dash off his line and make a scrambled brave save.

Even before that, Villa had already survived a scare themselves when Holgate sneaked in round the back at the far post, only to be thwarted by a desperate sliding challenge from Tommy Elphick.

Villa then went close again when Kortney Hause headed just over from Conor Hourihane’s free-kick, but Albion’s Jacob Murphy was twice denied by saves from Kalinic before the visitors broke through.

Robson-Kanu’s fourth goal of the season - and his first in three months - was rapidly followed by a 17th of the season and second in five days for Rodriguez.

And they were rapidly followed by the half-time whistle - and the exit from the contest of Villa keeper Kalinic, who had earlier received first-half treatment.

The hosts did threaten more after the break as Elphick’s header bounced off the top of the bar, and John McGinn - booked for the 10th time this season - had a shot parried before Ahmed Elmohamady’s header crept wide.

But Villa have now won just once in nine matches and few will give them any chance of making the play-offs.

On a day when Albion became the first side to stop Villa scoring in a Championship home game this season, one rare bright spot for the hosts was the reception given to the introduction of exciting local-born teenager Jacob Ramsey for his debut.

*Aston Villa head coach Dean Smith told BBC Sport:*

“We’re making it hard for ourselves. We didn’t have enough quality in the final third to put enough decent balls in. But, If Tammy takes that early chance, it’s a different story.

“There was nothing in it, then Robson-Kanu gets his head on a cross and I don’t think any keeper in the world would save that. It’s looped over a 6ft 7ins keeper. Then we make a mistake, Rodriguez scores off his foot this time, from outside the box, in off the post.

“Kalinic came off after a kick on the head. He was dizzy at half-time. He comes from a league where keepers are more protected.

“The injuries haven’t helped. Now we lose McGinn to suspension as well. It’s where we’re at. And why we had to stick a 17-year-old kid (Jacob Ramsey) on for his debut for the last half hour.”