Looking back: The last five Black Country derbies at Molineux

West Brom have had the better of the Black Country Derby at Molineux in recent times.

Four of the last five matches in Wolverhampton have gone the way of the Baggies - stretching back almost two decades.

January 16, 2021 - Wolves 2 West Brom 3

Let’s start with one that most people will want to forget, or have forgotten because they weren’t there.

To those watching from home, the first Black Country Derby in nine years at least provided some on-screen entertainment during Covid times.

Matheus Pereira was in the midst of his impressive Baggies spell and gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot inside 10 minutes.

Goals from Fabio Silva and Willy Boly would turn the match on its head by half-time, both beating future Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, but the hosts never got going in the second half.

Semi Ajayi’s header made it 2-2 and another Pereira penalty handed Sam Allardyce his first win at Baggies boss - though the season would end in relegation for the visitors.

February 12, 2012 - Wolves 1 West Brom 5

The match that marked the end of an era for Wolves, who would be in League One just over a year later.

Mick McCarthy’s five-and-a-half-year spell in charge of Wolves came to an end in the most humiliating fashion.

The match was finely poised at 1-1 at the break - Steven Fletcher cancelling out Peter Odemwingie’s opener on the stroke of half-time.

But Wolves crumbled after the interval as Jonas Olsson made it 2-1, Keith Andrews scored against his former club and Odemwingie completed his hat-trick.

While Wolves spiralled, and eventually recovered under first Kenny Jackett and then Nuno Espirito Santo, Albion would go on to establish themselves in the Premier League for another six years.

May 8, 2011 - Wolves 3 West Brom 1

The first Premier League meeting between these sides at Molineux ended in a crucial 3-1 victory for Wolves.

Two goals from Steven Fletcher and one by Adlene Guedioura lifted them out of the relegation zone, with just two matches to play of a season that would see them survive the drop on a dramatic final day.

Wolves were 3-0 up by the 47th minute, and a Peter Odemwingie penalty in the 54th minute would prove to be merely consolation.

McCarthy was happy to be ‘proved right’ by the £7million signing of Fletcher, while Baggies boss Roy Hodgson was left to rue his side’s defending from set pieces.

April 15, 2008 - Wolves 0 West Brom 1

Zoltan Gera sent the Baggies to the top of the Championship with his second-half strike at Molineux.

Gera converted Kevin Phillips’ cross for three vital points as Tony Mowbray’s side would go on to win the Championship title.

For Wolves, it was damaging defeat in their bid to return to the play-off places and they would miss out by one goal on goal difference.

McCarthy was in a bullish mood following the defeat - though he would have to wait another year to follow Albion up as champions themselves.

"It was a terrific match with both sides going for it. I'm immensely proud of how we played the game,” he said.

May 13, 2007 - Wolves 2 West Brom 3

The play-offs often throw up drama of the highest order, and it was no different when Wolves and Albion met in 2007.

The two rivals had finished on 76 points each at the end of the Championship campaign, though Albion had a far superior goal difference.

Much like the most recent Premier League clash, Albion led 1-0, trailed 2-1 and then eventually won 3-2.

Kevin Phillips scored the first two of those Baggies goals before Diomansy Kamara’s winner, with Jody Craddock and Seyi Olofinjana on target for Wolves.

West Brom would win the second leg at The Hawthorns 1-0 - that man Phillips on target again - but go on to lose to Derby County at Wembley.

They would secure promotion - and the Championship title - with just five more points 12 months later.