Peter Ridsdale, the Cardiff City chairman, surprised many in the summer when he was willing to pay the gargantuan wages of Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as other clubs ducked out. Last night he was given a stunning reminder that it was a risk worth taking.

Fowler and Hasselbaink have struggled to adapt to the unforgiving environment of the Coca-Cola Championship, but both produced excellent first-half performances to shatter West Bromwich Albion at their Hawthorns fortress.

Albion had not conceded at home this season before last night but Fowler pounced twice, with further goals coming from Hasselbaink’s impressive long-range effort and Trevor Sinclair, another veteran.

Fowler took only three minutes to collect his third goal in two games after a defensive aberration by Albion, pouncing after Stephen McPhail’s cross somehow found its way past the home team’s back four. Hasselbaink added a second from 25 yards in the 22nd minute before Fowler converted a penalty after Shelton Martis’s foul on Joe Ledley. Not to be outdone, Sinclair then got in on the act with a powerful drive.

Ishmael Miller reduced the deficit from close range minutes later after James Morrison’s shot had cannoned off the woodwork, then scored a late penalty after a foul by Sinclair.

West Bromwich Albion (4-4-2): D Kiely - J Hodgkiss, Tininho, S Martis, M Albrechtsen – R Chaplow (sub: F Teixeira, 46min), J Morrison, Pelé (sub: J Greening, 46), C Brunt – C Beattie (sub: S MacDonald, 71), I Miller. Substitutes not used: L Steele, L Barnett.

Cardiff City (4-4-2): M Oakes – K McNaughton (sub: C Gunter, 77), A Capaldi, R Johnson, G Loovens – G Rae, S McPhail, J Ledley, T Sinclair – J F Hasselbaink, R Fowler, below, (sub: P Parry, 71). Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, P Whittingham, M Green.

Referee: P Walton.