West Brom 2 Coventry City 0: Report as Albion return to winning ways and top six

Visitors Coventry, under new boss Frank Lampard, were downed by a goal in each half as Alex Mowatt and Karlan Grant sealed three points to lift Carlos Corberan's men up to sixth.

A remarkable sequence of 10 draws from 11 was improved on with Grant the hero as his superb late goal settled the contest - after the Sky Blues pushed to peg the Baggies back once again.

There was an element of fortunate to Mowatt's deflected early opener but nothing lucky about Grant's 16 minutes from time as the rejuvenated forward summed up his season with a brilliantly confident second.

Albion are unbeaten in 12 games - and now have two victories within that period to go with 10 draws ahead of Sunday's clash at Watford.

The Sky Blues, in black, looked to target Torbjorn Heggem early on and on the second occasion, after just a few minutes, Alex Palmer was forced into a save from close-quarters from Belgium international striker Norman Bassette.

One winger found another for Albion as Tom Fellows picked out Mikey Johnston but the latter could only smash well over. 

But the hosts had settled well with the wingers particularly sharp, similarly to Sunday against Sheffield United. It was no surprise they were involved in the opening goal on just 11 minutes.

Johnston darted infield with quick feet and fed Fellows out on the right. The academy product was happy to cut in on his weaker left and a blocked shot spun to the edge of the box.

Callum Styles was intelligent to leave it for Mowatt and the midfielder's half-volley was goalbound before its decisive cannon off Josh Eccles to wrong-foot goalkeeper Brad Collins.

Lampard's men looked for an immediate response as Tatsuhiro Sakamoto curled over and a series of fine corners tested Palmer.

The first half continued as a bit of a non-event with both sides a threat on counter-attacks from set-pieces. Albion and left-back Styles were fortunate Sakamoto could not connect at the back post from an Ephron Mason-Clark cross.

Grant flashed one wide from 20 yards as Albion looked to spark before the interval.

But more of Palmer's best was required on the stroke of half-time with another close-range save, this time a strong right hand to deny Eccles.

Corberan withdrew top scorer Josh Maja at the interval. The No.9 was visibly tired and looked similar against the Blades. He still tried to mix it but lacked a half a yard. John Swift came on to play just off Grant.

Albion were fortunate an inadvertent Fellows header from a Coventry corner was missed by Jake Bidwell at the back post.

The hosts struggled to create anything meaningful bar a few corners. Lampard introduced ex-Baggie Brandon Thomas-Asante but it was fellow substitute Victor Torp who somehow failed to convert a diving header from six yards in a huge Albion let-off.

Corberan's men were rocking as Palmer at his post from Sakamoto's header and Milan van Ewijk's goalbound strike hit his own colleague.

The head coach made a triple change inside the final 20 minutes - as Kyle Bartley, Jed Wallace and Lewis Dobbin were introduced - and moments later a second arrived against the run of play.

Heggem, out at left-back, worked the ball infield to Grant 30 yards out with little on.

From there it was all Grant. He powered past three black shirts and just into the box before a crisp low right-footed strike found the bottom left corner.

It was against the run of play but just the tonic as resilient Albion saw out the final 15 minutes well.

Albion (4-4-2):  Palmer; Furlong (c), Holgate, Heggem, Styles (Bartley, 71); Fellows (Wallace, 71), Molumby (Racic, 83), Mowatt, Johnston (Dobbin, 71); Grant, Maja (Swift, 45).

Subs not used: Wildsmith, Frabotta, Diakite, Cole.

Coventry City (4-3-3): Collins; Van Ewijk, Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Bidwell; Sheaf (c), Eccles (Torp, 62), Rudoni; Sakamoto (Simms, 77), Bassette, Mason-Clark.

Subs not used:  Dovin, Binks, Dasilva, Allen, Kitching, Tavares. 

Attendance:  24,859 (2,516 Coventry fans) 

Referee: John Busby