West Brom 3-0 Rotherham - Report

The Baggies have built up a real head of steam that has continued well beyond the World Cup break and the visiting Millers were second best by some way.

Wingers Jed Wallace and Grady Diangana, who had been on the pitch as a substitute barely 20 seconds, scored the important first and second goals either side of half-time for the hosts, back in front of their own fans for the first time in five weeks.

Fellow sub Brandon Thomas-Asante rounded off the routine win - a joint-biggest success of the season with the Hull victory in August - on an afternoon Albion's new head coach continues to inspire his team to a dramatic turnaround.

Corberan was able to hand starts to Daryl Dike and Tom Rogic following injury and fitness nightmares for both and Rogic in particular impressed in a midfield role in front of John Swift, who also did well.

Dike did not see many openings in front of goal come his way but handled himself well against a physical Millers backline in his hour of action.

But Wallace was once more the hosts' inspiration with a well-taken first - via Rogic's brilliant assist - before the winger turned provider for Diangana, who could scarcely believe his luck having emerged from the bench.

Albion keeper Alex Palmer was barely troubled - former Hawthorns man Lee Peltier's hapless effort well wide in the late stages was the Millers first shot at goal and celebrated suitably by the travelling fans - as the Baggies backline recorded a fourth clean sheet in five.

Corberan's men moved up just a single place to 16th without much movement in the Championship table, but the crucial contest comes on Wednesday at Coventry's CBS Arena where the two sides lock horns in their game in hand on rivals.

A win against the Sky Blues and sixth on the spin would lift Albion from 16th to eighth - just two points from play-offs. No extra incentive needed there, then.

Home supporters, in their first chance since November 12, still kept firmly in focus the club's plight under absent controlling shareholder Guochuan Lai, whose deadline of December 31 to repay a £4.95million loan is rapidly approaching.

The winning run has not deterred fans from protests against the ownership. They chanted against the Chinese businessman, owner since 2016, in the second half and continued the theme of more recent organised protests of shining their mobile phone lights from the stands in another powerful visual stance.

Corberan named Sunderland goal duo Dike and Rogic in his starting XI after the duo made impressive impacts from the bench at the Stadium of Light.

For both players it was just a second start for Albion after a number of turbulent months with fitness and injury issues.

For striker Dike, 22, it was a first start since against Peterborough at the back end of January.

He replaced Thomas-Asante as the lone striker, with Rogic into the starters for Jayson Molumby after his fine impact in the north east.

Albion's matchday squad was otherwise unchanged other than Diangana on the bench, back from illness.

The clash came too soon for Kyle Bartley, who is nursing a thigh injury while fellow defender Semi Ajayi (shoulder) was not fit to face the club from which he joined Albion.

Visiting Rotherham started the day just one place below Albion, in 18th, on the same number of points.

Millers boss Matt Taylor also made two changes, introducing midfielder Scott High and defender Cameron Humphreys to his side after a recent wave of illness through the squad.

West Bromwich Albion remembered some lost loved ones ahead of kick-off and in the early stages of the contest.

Doctor Julian Widdowson, who died suddenly last weekend aged 63, was honoured with a minute's applause with his family present. Everybody in attendance at The Hawthorns also paid tribute to the victims of the Babbs Mill Park tragedy in Solihull as well as supporter Liberty Challis, who worked in the fan zone at The Hawthorns before she recently passed away.

If Corberan wanted to see a fast start in Albion's return in front of the home fans he would have been pleased with the first couple of minutes.

The hosts might have led after 50 seconds after Jed Wallace clipped a pass to release Dike in the box. The striker outmuscled his defender near the right byline but his low cross was cleared by a yellow shirt.

Rotherham, promoted as runners-up in League One last term, responded well and enjoyed a period of possession to settle them into the clash as Albion fans looked at their side to spark into their creative best.

Albion's best early effort came through Matty Phillips, whose low strike from outside the box was palmed around the post by Viktor Johansson after neat build-up play down the left involving the lively John Swift and Rogic, before Dike teed up Phillips.

Swift started the game well in a deeper midfield role than usual, with Aussie Rogic occupying the more advanced position behind the striker.

Corberan's side continued to threaten as they wrestled some control and Okay Yokuslu sent a meaty near-post header just a couple of feet over from Wallace's fine cross.

The breakthrough looked like it was coming and it arrived on 20 minutes. When it came it was created by a touch of class.

Rogic made it and Wallace finished it. Albion's new Australian collected the ball in midfield and sent his Millers marker for a newspaper with a wonderful, impudent flick over the head, followed by a perfectly-weighted through ball into the path of Wallace.

The winger - who had not scored since the harrowing midweek defeat to Blues - was not deterred by a deflection off a defender and kept his cool to send a composed left-footed finish in beyond Johansson and into the near corner.

The hosts were really purring by half hour as Yokuslu saw a 25-yard rocket tipped inches wide. Wallace's half-volley from the unclear corner was held by Johansson before another strike from Wallace was parried by the Swedish goalkeeper.

Phillips missed a glorious chance to play in opposite winger Wallace for a second but opted to shoot, and saw an effort blocked.

Rotherham looked like being blown away but managed a foothold in the final 10 minutes before the break. One Baggies full-back found the other, right on half-time, as Darnell Furlong crossed for Conor Townsend, but the latter's header, judged offside, was narrowly wide.

Albion's first half probably merited a stronger lead and it appeared Corberan's side would need the comfort of a second goal before they could relax.

And that was certainly the case as the home side endured a sloppy first 10 minutes or so of the restart.

Alex Palmer, untested in the first 45, had to give a repeat example of his important work at Sunderland last time out.

Corberan praised Palmer for his intervention at 1-0 at the Stadium of Light and he was just as required here as the speedy Chiedozie Ogbene was played in on goal, but the Albion academy product rushed out to make himself big, smother, and claim the subsequent cross.

Still, the head coach had seen enough to turn to an early double change - and the introduction of Diangana and Thomas-Asante three minutes before the hour would see the victory sealed.

Even the Spaniard, though, could hardly have imagined his change having an impact so quickly.

The pair had been on the pitch barely 20 seconds when winger Diangana raced away to celebrate having volleyed home for two.

He was picked out on the edge of the six-yard box by a pinpoint Wallace cross and the volley found the corner via the fingertips of the helpless Johansson.

Albion were home and hosed after that effort but were not quite done.

It might have been three but for Johansson's fine reaction save to deny Thomas-Asante on the stretch. The striker connected to a brilliant Furlong delivery from the right.

But Albion, and Thomas-Asante - who was unfortunate to miss out of the starting line-up - had their reward on 70 minutes after referee John Busby pointed to the spot.

Keeper Palmer was once more involved, this time in an attacking sense, as his accurate clearance picked out Thomas-Asante 10 yards or too into the Millers half.

The frontman showed all the traits of a bullish centre-forward. He used strength to hold off his defender before spinning and giving a direct burst of speed that took him into the box.

There, the trailing Humphreys stretched out a hand to send the striker tumbling. Thomas-Asante demanded the ball but saw his poor spot-kick saved by Johansson, only for the former Salford man to keep his composure and tuck in the rebound.

Albion, aided by busy and composed substitute cameos from Molumby and Taylor Gardner-Hickman for a second time this week, saw out the remainder of the clash with ease for yet another victory as the turnaround powers on.

Teams

Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer: Furlong, O’Shea (c), Pieters, Townsend; Yokuslu, Swift (Gardner-Hickman, 66); Wallace (Grant, 74), Rogic (Molumby, 74), Phillips (Diangana, 57); Dike (Thomas-Asante, 57).

Subs not used: Button, Kelly.

Rotherham United (3-5-1-1): Johansson; Peltier, Humphreys, Harding; Norton-Cuffy (Kelly, 65), Lindsay (Rathbone, 65), High (Washington, 82), Barlaser, Bramall; Wiles (c); Ogbene.

Subs not used: Vickers, Eaves, Hall, Odoffin.

Attendance: 22,519

Referee: John Busby

Key moments

20 - GOAL Albion! The hosts go 1-0 up thanks to Jed Wallace's first goal, remarkably, since the 3-2 defeat to Blues under Steve Bruce in mid-September. His slides in a composed finish after a wonderful assist from Tom Rogic, who juggled the ball over a defender and played a wonderful through ball.

49 - Big moment in Rotherham's only real threat down the other end. Chiedozie Ogbene was played through inside a packed penalty box but Alex Palmer raced off his line to make himself big and make the save.

57 - GOAL Albion! Carlos Corberan's team make it two through substitute Grady Diangana who takes the phrase instant impact to a new level scoring with his first touch having only been introduced from the bench barely 20 seconds earlier. He volleyed home Wallace's cross.

70 - GOAL Albion! The game is already won but they added some gloss to the scoreline through another sub, Brandon Thomas-Asante. He was pushed to the deck following some direct forward play and picked himself up to convert the spot-kick's rebound, after Viktor Johansson had save a tame initial effort.