Gayle joined the Baggies on loan until the end of the season earlier this month, and almost found the target on his debut, striking the post against Nottingham Forest.

But this weekend, the 27-year-old got himself on the scoresheet, sliding home his side’s fourth of the afternoon to put the game beyond former Magpies boss Steve McClaren’s men and adding to goals from Matt Phillips, Kieran Gibbs and Jay Rodriguez.

Further efforts from Phillips, Rodriguez and Hal Robson-Kanu, who replaced the on-loan Newcastle frontman, made sure of the emphatic victory for West Brom, with Gayle playing 83 minutes at The Hawthorns.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Jack Colback played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card as Nottingham Forest fought back to earn a 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic.

Will Grigg’s penalty gave the Latics a 2-1 lead after earlier strikes from Nick Powell and Matty Cash, but Hillal Soudani’s leveller at the death earned Colback’s side a point.

And in League Two, defender Josef Yarney suffered defeat with Morecambe as they lost 1-0 at Stevenage.

Michael Timlin’s strike separated the two teams at the Lamex Stadium, where Yarney played the full 90 minutes, collecting a booking in the process.