It was a result that extended the Swans’ strong home form and underlined the progress being made under his stewardship.
Jay Fulton’s stunning 74th-minute strike ultimately settled the contest, but it was the manner of the performance that pleased the Swansea head coach most.
Having weathered a brief second-half spell of pressure, the Swans struck decisively through a moment of sharp pressing and individual quality to secure a fourth successive home win –
their best sequence at the Swansea.com Stadium since 2022.
Matos’s men have moved up to 16th place in the Championship table and are now the same distance from the relegation zone as they are from the play-off positions - eight points.
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“I am really happy for Jay and I think it was a great game where we had to be patient,” said Matos.
“The goal was a brilliant counter press from Ronald and then an even more brilliant one from Jay.
"I think it was a balanced game in the first half. We were in control but not a lot of chances. West Brom were trying to take an advantage from a second ball or a counter or a mistake.
"We had the control and the dominance but only one clear chance I would say.
"In the second half, West Brom had a spell of seven minutes where we needed to defend deep and properly.
"Then, this kind of game, with the amount of games in a short period of time, simple things can make a difference and that's what happened.
"It was a brilliant counter press from Ronnie (Ronald) and even more brilliant from Jay. He can score like this a lot in training.
“I was really happy for him – he is an important character for us who has a lot of values I like.
“We are moving up the table, but we are not yet looking upwards. We just have to concentrate on the next game.”
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Fulton’s goal was his first since December 2024 and came just 60 seconds after he had been introduced from the bench.
Ronald dispossessed Ousmane Diakite 25 yards from goal and the ball broke invitingly for the midfielder, whose dipping strike flew beyond Joe Wildsmith and into the top-left corner.
Before that decisive moment, Swansea had largely controlled proceedings without finding a breakthrough.
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They enjoyed the bulk of possession, forced West Brom into repeated turnovers and pinned the visitors back, although clear chances were limited.
West Brom, meanwhile, showed plenty of aggression but struggled to channel it productively, with their discipline fraying as the game wore on.
Six Albion players were shown yellow cards as frustration grew, and their inability to keep hold of the ball invited further Swansea pressure.
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The visitors did threaten sporadically. Karlan Grant forced Lawrence Vigouroux into a smart save, while Mikey Johnston went close twice in quick succession – one effort only half-stopped by the Swansea goalkeeper before being scrambled clear, and another header that deflected narrowly wide.
It was the clearest spell of danger Swansea faced, and Matos was satisfied with how his side responded.
West Brom boss Ryan Mason, whose side have now lost nine consecutive away matches – their worst run on the road in 53 years – was booed by sections of the travelling support after the final whistle.
However, he remained defiant.
“I wouldn't be sat here if I didn’t think I could turn this around,” said Mason.
“As a coach, you can do a lot right and not necessarily get the rewards. That's the beauty of football.
“But no-one, or nothing, is going to stop me believing in how I want the team to be and how I want them to look.
“It's a game of five margins and too many times this season we've come out on the wrong end for different reasons.”
Mason was even more candid when reflecting on Albion’s alarming away form.
“The run we've been on, in terms of the games we've lost, it's incredible. It's embarrassing.
“As I’ve done all season, I'll take responsibility for everything.
“But, as a player, also, we have to have men who take responsibility. Regardless of where you are, what league, what country you play in, to lose that amount of games, it's not good enough.”
Swansea almost added a second late on when top scorer Zan Vipotnik saw an effort blocked, but the hosts managed the closing stages effectively to seal the win.
The only blemish on an otherwise positive evening for Matos was the news that £6m striker Adam Idah could face months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
Even so, the Swansea head coach was left reflecting on another step forward, with his team continuing to build momentum – even as he insists their focus remains firmly on the next challenge rather than the league table.
