By Mark Ashenden

Olsson and Roman Bednar were a threat all afternoon

Jonas Olsson's scrappy second-half strike handed West Brom their first away win of the season.

It was a happy return to Boro for West Brom boss Tony Mowbray, who played for the club for nine years.

The hosts were not without chances, with Afonso Alves hitting the bar and a David Wheater header also going close.

The winner came from a Jonathan Greening corner, and after Ishmael Miller hooked the ball back in, Sweden's Olsson poked the ball home.

Middlesbrough poured forward in the final stages, but the visitors, helped by the efforts of keeper Scott Carson, held on to end the 100% home record of Gareth Southgate's side this season.

It has been an unhappy time for Southgate, who has seen his team lose every game since winning the August manager of the month award.

He brought back Robert Huth for suspended captain Emanuel Pogatetz, and also introduced keeper Ross Turnbull instead of Brad Jones after their midweek Carling Cup loss at Manchester United.

606: DEBATE Brilliant Game! Well Done! 10th in the table at the moment!!! Boing Boing! bluewhitestriped

Mowbray had to make an early change, bringing on Sherjill MacDonald for the injured Do-heon Kim in the first minute.

The hosts looked the most likely side to open the scoring and Alves was desperately unlucky on 17 minutes.

The Brazilian's trickery took him to the edge of the box and he unleashed a ferocious drive which crashed against the crossbar.

West Brom's Borjs Valero went close soon after when he was denied by the finger tips of Carson.

The game opened up in the second half with West Brom's players looking for their first away goal of the season.

Having had a header pushed on to the post, it was the hard-working Olsson who got the crucial goal with 53 minutes on the clock.

Greening's corner caused havoc in the home defence with keeper Ross Turnbull only able to palm the ball into the path of Ishmael Miller.

The ball was hooked back into the six yard box where Olsson was lurking and he poked in to send the visiting fans delirious.

Middlesbrough threw everything forward in search of the equaliser and Wheater and Gary O'Neill both went agonisingly close with headers in the final minutes.

The hosts also had a good penalty claim with Justin Hoyte challenged in the box, but West Brom's resolute defence hung on for the three points.

The victory is West Brom's first in Middlesbrough since 1952 and lifts them to 10th in the Premier League.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate:
"We had more than enough chances to win the game and we only have ourselves to blame.

"We have not defended against a set-piece properly and that happens far too often and we have to toughen up as a group.

"We now have a huge game at Wigan because in our last three league games we have not got any points."

West Brom boss Tony Mowbray:
"Scott made some great saves. He's a big lad and he's agile and alert. He does the right thing at the right time and I'm delighted he's between our sticks.

"We've been a lot better than that in most of the games this season and not got as many points. But people aren't interested about that.

"All they want to know is the score and we'll take 1-0."

Middlesbrough: Turnbull, Hoyte, Huth, Wheater, Taylor, Aliadiere (Adam Johnson 60), O'Neil, Shawky (Digard 60), Downing, Alves, Mido.

Subs Not Used: Jones, Riggott, Emnes, Bennett, Walker.

Booked: Taylor, Mido.

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Borja Valero, Morrison (Cech 76), Koren, Greening, Kim (MacDonald 4), Bednar, MacDonald (Miller 46).

Subs Not Used: Kiely, Barnett, Moore, Pele.

Booked: Greening, MacDonald, Olsson, Bednar.

Goals: Olsson 53.

Att: 26,248

Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Middlesbrough's Afonso Alves 8.00 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.