NEW boy Craig Beattie warmed up for the big Championship kick-off in stunning style by bagging a 19-minute hat-trick against the UEFA Cup qualifiers.
The £1.25million summer recruit netted in the 42nd and 56th minutes to ensure Tony Mowbray's men's would complete their eight-game pre-season programme undefeated.
And Beattie's stats read 'three chances, three goals' in the 61st minute when he coolly wrapped up a fine treble on his first-ever Hawthorns outing, making it four strikes in two games.
Heerenveen striker Lasse Nilsson bagged a late consolation from the penalty spot.
With Jonathan Greening celebrating his new three-year deal by pulling the strings in midfield, the hosts impressed from start to finish and created enough chances to win by a bigger margin.
Mowbray named four of his six summer signings in his XI, with Beattie, Leon Barnett and Portuguese pair Filipe Teixeira and Tininho all starting.
Fellow new recruit Shelton Martis was on the bench but Bostjan Cesar, who arrived on a season-long loan from Marseille on Thursday, missed out as international clearance had not been granted in time.
Neil Clement (illness) and Robert Koren (eye injury) were also sidelined.
Heerenveen were without their brilliant Brazilian striker Afonso Alves, who netted 34 goals last season to finish just one point behind winner Francesco Totti in the European golden boot race.
The players kicked off wearing black armbands in memory of the club's popular maintenance worker, Alan Brookes, who passed away nine days ago.
Teixeira soon had the Hawthorns crowd on their feet when he collected Greening's lay-off, ran at the Heerenveen defence and curled a right-footed shot into the side-netting from 18 yards.
Kevin Phillips continued Albion's bright start when he twice drew visiting keeper Rob Van Dijk into action in the seventh minute.
After Beattie had bravely won the ball, the ex-Villa man shot straight at the Heerenveen No.24 from 25 yards and his next effort, from just inside the box, also flew down the custodian's throat.
Greening then found Beattie with an exquisite ball over the top. The Scotsman smashed a left-footed volley goalwards - but it again sailed into Van Dijk's arms.
Heerenveen, who finished fifth in Eredivisie last term, did not threaten until the 14th minute.
Richard Chaplow's appeals for a foul fell on deaf ears as he was dispossessed by Gonzalo Garcia-Garcia.
The Heerenveen forward threaded in right-winger Jakob Poulsen whose 20-yard drive was well saved by Dean Kiely low to his left.
Albion were then grateful to Barnett's well-timed tackle inside the box for halting Garcia-Garcia's dangerous run.
The hosts were soon back on the attack when Chaplow's clever ball out of defence set up a swift break.
Phillips controlled Zoltan Gera's diagonal ball before flashing a 30-yard drive just wide of Van Dijk's left-hand post.
Albion took a deserved lead three minutes before the break.
Beattie raced onto Jared Hodgkiss' pass out of defence and found Phillips, who cleverly steered the ball to Teixeira inside the Heerenveen box.
The ex-Academica de Coimbra maestro would have had a clear sight of goal had he not uncharacteristically got the ball tangled between his feet - but he still did well to hold off three defenders and tee up Beattie.
The ex-Celtic man took one touch before coolly curling the ball into the far top corner.
Mowbray rang two changes at the break, replacing Barnett and Phillips with Martin Albrechtsen and Nathan Ellington.
Albion again pushed forward with purpose after the break and doubled their lead in the 56th minute.
Ellington sprang the Heerenveen offside trap to race onto Greening's ball over the top down the right.
The 'Duke' charged into the box before unselfishly squaring to Beattie who cleverly dinked the ball over onrushing sub keeper Brian Vandenbussche and into the empty net.
And the Scotland international was all smiles again six minutes later when he completed his hat-trick.
Terrific play by Gera on the edge of the Heerenveen box teed up Beattie who controlled before clinically sliding the ball inside the far post from 15 yards.
Beattie fittingly left the field to rapturous applause when he was replaced by Stuart Nicholson in the 64th minute.
Albion continued to keep the club where Ruud Van Nistelrooy started his career pegged back inside their own half and Greening wasn't too far away with a 30-yard effort which sailed just over.
The lively Ellington came within inches of making it 4-0 in the 72nd minute when he showed great strength to outmuscle Timmi Johansen to connect with sub Darren Carter's cross, only to see his right-footed prod fly wide.
The chances kept coming and Nicholson will feel he should have done better than firing tamely at Vandenbussche from 12 yards after great link-up play by Ellington and Carter.
Albion kept pressing and the off-balance Ellington wasted a great chance when he poked Gera's fine centre over from six yards.
Kiely was called into action for only the second time five minutes from the end when he made himself big to block Poulsen's goalbound effort.
The ex-Ireland international pulled off an even better save in the 87th minute when he clawed away sub Geert Arend Roorda's 15-yard rocket.
But Kiely's good work was immediately undone when referee Andy Penn pointed to the spot for an alleged foul on Nilsson in the ensuing scramble.
Striker Nilsson dusted himself down before placing the spot-kick in the top right-hand corner - but it was too little, too late.
ALBION (4-1-2-1-2): Kiely; Hodgkiss, Barnett (Albrechtsen HT), Davies, Tininho (Martis 71); Chaplow (Wallwork 77); Gera (MacDonald 77), Greening; Teixeira (Carter 59); Beattie (Nicholson 64), Phillips (Ellington HT). Sub not used: Steele (gk).
HEERENVEEN (4-4-2): Van Dijk (Vandenbussche HT); Zuiverloon, Breuer, Dingsdag, Johansen; Poulsen, Nielsen (Roorda 77), Prager (Bradley HT), Beerens; Nilsson, Garcia-Garcia (Sibon 59). Subs not used: J Drost, Loohuis, H Drost, Armenteros.
GOALS: ALBION - Beattie (42, 56 & 61). HEERENVEEN - (Nilsson 87 pen).
BOOKINGS: None.
REFEREE: A Penn (West Midlands).
ATTENDANCE: 5,891.
ALBION STARMAN: Craig Beattie.
PIC: TWO GOOD...Beattie dinks home his second
See Craig Beattie's Hawthorns hat-trick against Heerenveen with Albion TV's extended highlights package on Monday. To sign up, click here. |
