JAY Simpson's first goal in Albion colours set up a comfortable passage into the FA Cup fourth round.

The on-loan Arsenal striker's 18th-minute cracker was nothing less than the Baggies deserved after they started this London Road replay in dominant mood.

And Paul Robinson's first goal in more than a year eight minutes before the break gave Tony Mowbray's men some breathing space against Darren Ferguson's League One high-fliers.

It was Albion's first win on their travels in four months and a confidence-boosting performance as they set up a home tie with Burnley on the weekend of January 24/25.

Filipe Teixeira was handed his first start in ten months as he looked to put an end to a series of niggling injuries since recovering from knee ligament damage.

Roman Bednar, Do-heon Kim and Ryan Donk were also recalled to the Baggies' starting XI as Luke Moore and Borja Valero dropped to the bench, while Jonas Olsson was rested.

Darren Ferguson made once change to the Posh side which drew 1-1 at The Hawthorns ten days ago, with Tom Williams coming in for Paul Coutts.

The hosts threatened first in the third minute when Craig Mackail-Smith looked to have teed up George Boyd just inside the box, only for Kim to pinch the ball off the midfielder's toes.

Three minutes later, Teixeira swivelled 25 yards out and tested Joe Lewis with a low drive.

The Baggies kept the pressure on and Teixeira was in the action again when he threaded the ball into the penalty box, where Lewis was brave to block at the feet of Bednar.

In the seventh minute, Jonathan Greening collected the clearance from his own right-wing corner and crossed to the back post where Leon Barnett headed wide of the far stick when he should have at least hit the target.

In a rare moment of panic in the Baggies box, Charlie Lee almost punished Donk and Barnett's hesitancy when he burst through and lobbed Scott Carson, only to see the ball bounce inches wide of the left-hand upright.

But Albion were soon back on top and Simpson opened the scoring with an 18th-minute moment of magic.

The striker controlled Bednar's lay-off and made a yard for himself before curling a cracker into the bottom right-hand corner from 25 yards.

Simpson then ran the length of the field to celebrate with the vociferous away support.  

Boyd replied a minute later with a shot from a similar distance which flew straight to Carson.

Gabriel Zakuani made a vital interception in the 24th minute as Robert Koren and Bednar looked to get on the end of Robinson's whipped-in centre.

Two minutes later, Carl Hoefkens delivered a cross that Lewis could only palm to Bednar, who mishit his first effort before looping the ball into the hands of the grateful Posh keeper.

Bednar was fed by Teixeira in the 35th minute and the Czech striker cut inside Craig Morgan before firing a low 20-yard shot straight at Lewis.

A second Albion goal had been coming and it duly arrived two minutes later.

Teixeira's free-kick was cleared to Kim on the right wing and the Korea Republic ace crossed to the back post where Robinson headed home across Lewis.

The Baggies were given a reminder they were not home and dry five minutes before the break when Greening almost put Chris Whelpdale's right-wing cross into his own net.

Bednar had a golden chance to add a third in the 42nd minute but flashed a 16-yard effort horribly over the bar after being put clean through by Koren's slide-rule pass.

Posh skipper Russell Martin broke down the right in the 44th minute and teed up Mackail-Smith, whose wild volley went out for a throw-in when he should have tested Carson.

United were enjoying their first spell of pressure and Carson was forced into a fine one-handed save in the first minute of stoppage time, leaping to his left to tip over Martin's curling free-kick.

Seconds later, Morgan's header from Dean Keates' left-wing corner was heading for the top right-hand corner until Carson intervened by punching clear.

Albion threatened first after the break when Teixeira's pinpoint pass looked to have put Simpson in, but Lewis again was quick off his line to block at the hitman's feet.

Two minutes later, Boyd centred a low ball into the six-yard box which Carson did well to gather at full stretch in front of Mackail-Smith.

Greening flashed in a left-wing cross in the 54th minute which Bednar flung himself at at the near post but headed wide.

The Baggies scythed United open a minute later when Simpson's inch-perfect pass put Teixeira through and he forced a good save from Lewis.

The Albion siege continued when Kim showed neat chest control before thundering a ferocious volley inches wide.

At the other end, central midfielder Lee continued to impress and, in the 64th minute, Carson could only parry the Posh ace's fierce drive and needed Donk to clear in the nick of time before Aaron Mclean could pounce.

Mowbray made a change a minute later as a weary Teixeira made way for Graham Dorrans.

Posh kept plugging away and Keates curled in another corner which Lee headed goalwards and Carson turned his effort over from just underneath the bar.

Substitute Dorrans had Martin twisting and turning inside the box in the 73rd minute but his shot lacked the power to beat Lewis low to his left.

Seven minutes from time, Dorrans' back-heel allowed fellow sub Craig Beattie to drive into the box and curl a shot just past the far top corner from a tight angle.

Beattie was in the action again four minutes later when he beat Martin but saw Lewis block at his feet in the six-yard box.

It proved to be the last threat on Posh's goal, which almost 1,500 buoyant Baggies fans stood behind in full voice ahead of the happy trip back to the Black Country.

But it was not the last action of the game as Donk needed to fling himself in front of Mclean's goalbound strike in stoppage time to maintain the Baggies' clean sheet.

PETERBOROUGH (4-4-2): Lewis; Martin, Morgan, Zakuani, Williams; Whelpdale, Lee (Batt 77), Keates, Boyd; Mackail-Smith, Mclean. Subs not used: McKeown (gk), Torres, Green, Webb, Gaughran, Blanchett.

ALBION (4-4-2): Carson; Hoefkens, Barnett, Donk, Robinson; Koren, Kim (Valero 80), Greening, Teixeira (Dorrans 65); Bednar, Simpson (Beattie 71). Subs not used: Kiely (gk), Brunt, Moore, Pele.

GOALS: ALBION - Simpson (18), Robinson (37).

REFEREE: A D'Urso (Essex).

ATTENDANCE: 10,735.

ALBION STARMAN: Filipe Teixeira.

PIC: CUP CRACKER...Simpson blasts Albion ahead at London Road