ROMAN Bednar enjoyed a dream full debut as his first-half double fired Albion to within two points of league leaders Watford in a brilliant Home Park victory.

The on-loan Hearts striker was granted his first start due to the absence of injured 19-goal duo Kevin Phillips and Ishmael Miller - and he took just nine minutes to open his Baggies account.

Bednar then converted Albion's first-half supremacy into a two-goal cushion when he headed home two minutes before the break.

Tony Mowbray's men had a late scare when Argyle super-sub Jermaine Easter pulled one back in the 84th-minute - but the result was never in doubt.

Albion were full value for their third successive away win and their first league victory on Plymouth soil in almost 59 years also spoilt manager Paul Sturrock's homecoming as he kicked-off his second spell as Pilgrims boss.

Lone striker Bednar was well-supported by the superb Filipe Teixeira in his supporting role.

The pair terrorised the hosts' defence during a first-half which could easily have resulted in the country's top scorers going into the break more than two goals to the good.

But the visitors should be more than happy with their night's work as they extended their unbeaten run to seven games in front of more than 1,000 loyal traveling Baggies fans.

Albion started like a house on fire and the first shot of the game came when Czech hitman Bednar chested down Jonathan Greening's lofted ball forward for Teixeira, who fired over from the edge of the area.

Teixeira was in the action again three minutes later when he clipped Leon Barnett's pass through to Bednar.

The 24-year-old hitman's eyes lit up as the path to goal opened up but, just as he was about to let fly, Marcel Seip produced a superb last-ditch challenge to divert the ball away from goal.

But Bednar did not have to wait much longer to open his Albion account as he slid in to poke home Zoltan Gera's stunning right-wing cross after good work by Carl Hoefkens in retrieving the ball.

The Baggies almost doubled their lead four minutes later when Gera headed Chris Brunt's right-wing corner goalwards, only to see Peter Halmosi clear off the line after the ball had beaten Argyle keeper Romain Larrieu all ends up.

Brunt almost deceived Larrieu with a clever free-kick in the 17th minute when he dummied to cross and fired in a shot.

The Pilgrims keeper just managed to beat the dipping left-footed effort out at the foot of his right-hand post.

Albion were in complete control and Plymouth's first effort on goal did not come until the 28th minute when Barry Hayles got the better of Bostjan Cesar from Lee Hodges' long ball over the top and forced Dean Kiely to beat out his powerful shot at the near post.

But the visitors scythed through Argyle again in the 36th minute. Teixeira found Gera who threaded Bednar through on goal, only to fire into the side-netting from 15 yards.

Five minutes from half-time, Teixeira picked up the ball in midfield and nut-megged Mathias Kouo-Doumbe before seeing Larrieu block his 20-yard shot.

The ever-alert Portuguese playmaker pounced on the rebound and was unfortunate to see his first-time chip over the stranded Plymouth keeper drift wide of the open goal.

But Albion extended their lead just two minutes later.

Gera hammered a stunning crossfield ball to Brunt on the left and the Northern Ireland international's pinpoint curling cross was firmly headed home by the unmarked Bednar at the far post.

Sturrock made a change at the break, with Nadjim Abdou replacing Dan Gosling in midfield.

Bednar thought he'd bagged his hat-trick in the 51st minute when he controlled and smashed home Gera's header - but his strike was ruled out for offside.

At the other end, Paul Robinson made a vital flying headed clearance in his own penalty area to prevent Hayles getting on the end of Hodges' left-wing cross.

The second-half was a scrappier affair and, in the 69th minute, Gera broke quickly down the right and over-hit his attempted throughball to Bednar.

However, Larrieu lost his footing on the edge of his area and could only nudge the ball away under pressure from the Baggies No.9.

With his back to goal, Bednar swiveled and tried to chip the ball into the empty net, but the keeper managed to regain his footing and caught it at full stretch.

Three minutes later, Bednar made way for Craig Beattie and, just seconds after his introduction, Kiely just managed to grab Halmosi's low drive at the second attempt.

The Pilgrims went close again in the 74th minute when Hayles crossed to the back post, but Halmosi headed straight at Kiely.

The hosts set up a nervy finish to the game when they pulled one back six minutes from time.

Sub Easter thumped home Norris' low right-wing cross within five minutes of coming on.

But Plymouth failed to trouble the Baggies goal again to send the visiting support back up the M5 happy.

PLYMOUTH (4-4-2): Larrieu; Connolly, Doumbe, Seip, Hodges (Fallon 88); Halmosi, Nalis, Norris, Gosling (Abdou HT); Hayles (Easter 79), Ebanks-Blake. Subs not used: McCormick (gk), Sawyer.

ALBION (4-4-1-1): Kiely; Hoefkens, Barnett, Cesar, Robinson; Gera, Koren, Greening, Brunt; Teixeira (MacDonald 79); Bednar (Beattie 72). Subs not used: Steele (gk), Pele, Chaplow.

GOALS: PLYMOUTH - Easter (84). ALBION - Bednar (9 & 43).

BOOKINGS: PLYMOUTH - Hayles (dissent 29), Nalis (foul 47). ALBION - Gera (handball 90).

REFEREE: S Bennett (Kent).

ATTENDANCE: 14,338.

ALBION STARMAN: Roman Bednar.

PIC: ROMAN CONQUERS...Bednar celebrates his first goal at Home Park