Mikey Johnston’s 10-minute double gave West Brom a 2-0 house victory over Bristol Metropolis in Sunday’s Sky Wager Championship match at The Hawthorns.
The Baggies’ summer season deadline day arrival from Celtic scored his first purpose of the season after 34 minutes following a quiet opening to proceedings.
The winger then adopted up that effort with a cultured end on the stroke of half-time as West Brom ended their closing house sport of 2024 victorious.
Bristol Metropolis, who haven’t received at this venue since 1993, head into the Christmas interval having did not win any of their earlier 4 matches.
John Swift sought to catch Max O’Leary off guard when West Brom took a free-kick rapidly however the Robins goalkeeper managed to unconventionally push the dipping drive away from purpose.
Centre-half Kyle Bartley headed over the bar moments later however the sport, being performed out in typical wintry situations with howling wind and driving rain, began slowly – till the hosts’ second of magic.
Tom Fellows, behind solely Middlesbrough’s Finn Azaz within the Championship help charts earlier than this fixture, created an eighth purpose of the marketing campaign when he stood up a cross to the sting of the six-yard field. Regardless of his diminutive body, Johnston powered house a header for his first purpose of the season.
Issues received even higher for the Republic of Eire worldwide minutes later when West Brom trio Swift, Josh Maja and Alex Mowatt mixed in the course of the pitch to create one other opening for Johnston, who picked up the ball on the left, reduce inside and fired a rasping strike past O’Leary.
The guests nearly responded earlier than half-time when Anis Mehmeti’s cross to the again put up discovered the top of Luke McNally however Albion goalkeeper Alex Palmer was equal to his modest effort and punched the ball over the bar.
Nevertheless, Fally Mayulu gave Palmer a bit extra to consider after the interval when he directed a agency drive on track which required coping with.
If Metropolis had hoped to construct up a head of steam to be able to pressure themselves again into the sport, the momentum they had been on the lookout for did not arrive.
Certainly West Brom regarded likelier so as to add to their tally, firstly by way of Maja after which Fellows. Substitute Uros Racic additionally stung the palms of O’Leary from the sting of the penalty space.
Within the closing phases Devante Cole – West Brom’s summer season signing who made solely his seventh substitute look on this match – was fed by Grady Diangana however may solely poke the ball previous the far put up at full-stretch.
Thankfully for him and West Brom, the job was carried out.
The managers
West Brom’s Carlos Corberan:
To observe…
Bristol Metropolis’s Liam Manning:
To observe…
