West Brom 2 Middlesbrough 0 - Report

Carlos Corberan's team bounced back from travel sickness with one of their best results under the Spaniard as visitors Boro saw a five-match winning run halted comprehensively.

United States frontman Dike was the hosts' goal hero with well-taken early finishes in minutes eight and 10 to leave Michael Carrick's side shell-shocked.

The Hawthorns head coach had called for improved defending and game management to cure a recent generous defensive nature.

And his troops delivered on that request in spades. In tackling one of the form teams in the country Albion were rock-solid at the back and Boro's only chance of the second half - despite no shortage of possession - came in the 97th minute, but there was no stopping Josh Griffiths registering a first clean sheet.

It proved a huge afternoon for the young goalkeeper, 21, on just his third senior Baggies outing. The same can be said for goal hero Dike, whose fourth and fifth goals of the campaign following a terribly injury-hit 2022 were smartly-taken and crucial to the three points.

Dike is, quietly, continuing his trend of scoring important goals, and mostly match-winners.

It was also a big result, particularly in the context of third-placed Boro's magnificent form under Carrick, for Corberan and Albion's top-six objective.

The Baggies started the day in 10th and leapfrogged by Coventry ahead of kick-off, and five points outside the play-off places. They closed out the day still down in 10th with that same deficit as results elsewhere failed to go their way.

But that also goes to show the importance of not dropping any points in one of the toughest fixtures in the calendar at the moment.

A word, too, for Albion's incredible form at The Hawthorns as it continues. There has still been no Hawthorns defeat since Corberan's first match in charge in October and, after two points dropped in the dying seconds against Blackburn, Albion responded magnificently to make it an incredible eight wins and a draw from nine in all competitions.

Corberan admitted an improved second half at Watford, following half-time changes, had made him contemplate changes for the visit of high-flying Boro.

And the Spaniard delivered on that hint with three alterations to the side that lost for the fourth time in a row away from home.

In came his two changes from the interval the other night with Jayson Molumby back in midfield and Grady Diangana on the left.

January recruits Nathaniel Chalobah and Marc Albrighton made way and dropped to the bench, where they were joined by Brandon Thomas-Asante, who was replaced by Dike leading the line.

Carrick's visitors Boro were the top performing team in the top four division's over the last 10 games with 27 points taken from a possible 30 - even better than runaway leaders Burnley.

The Teessiders, who drew 1-1 with Steve Bruce's Baggies on the opening day at the Riverside, made two changes from the side that saw off QPR 3-1 for a fifth win on the spin. In came skipper Jonny Howson and former Baggies schoolboy Marcus Forss.

A healthy attendance greeted Albion's first Saturday home fixture since the impressive win over Rotherham on December 17.

The first five minutes passed with little of note - before the hosts lit the fuse and stormed all over their in-form visitors.

John Swift, playing in his natural role as a central attacking midfielder, was the architect in both of Dike's well-taken efforts.

Firstly, with eight minutes on the clock, he conjured a wonderful through ball with the outside of his right foot to send Wallace - who had lined up in his natural right position - clear in the left side of the penalty box.

Wallace was typically smart and waited a split second for Dike to reach the ideal position. The winger's low ball in with his left foot was inch-perfect and Dike opened his body up to tap under compatriot Zack Steffen from six yards.

If Dike's fourth goal of the season and first since mid-January was a handy start then The Hawthorns was bouncing 120 seconds later.

Still riding a wave of confidence, the hosts put their foot on shell-shocked Boro throats.

Wallace this time fed Swift midway through Middlesbrough's half and, after feeding the assist for the opener, he was the main source of ammunition for Dike's second.

This time a lovely weighted through ball released Dike. He held off a defender into the box and saw an initial left-footed effort kept out by Steffen, but the rebound fell kindly into the striker's path and was dispatched for two.

Corberan's men were rampant and responded to the deafening noise inside The Hawthorns.

Wallace might have added a third from his natural right this side after opting to shoots instead of play a low ball into the box but the strike was well over.

Carrick's men had been blown away but did show signs of what they could do. A low cross from Wolves loanee Ryan Giles fed Forss on the right of the box but he skied it.

The contest calmed down as the visitors found their feet. Josh Griffiths, continuing with a third start in goal, claimed a cross well to allay fears, but Carrick's men used the ball smartly and quickly, for long spells the away side looked after the ball but couldn't force serious chances.

The hosts passed up another glorious chance at a third with their best move of the game. From right to left as Diangana slipped a perfect ball to the overlapping Conor Townsend at the left byline.

His low cut-back was spurned by Molumby and into the path of Wallace, whose goalbound strike was blocked by Giles.

Griffiths' best and only telling save of the first period tipped Forss' fierce rising strike over his crossbar. The keeper was assured to also collect an Akpom header.

Albion led comfortably at the break but with Boro having shown enough as evidence of their stunning form of late.

Corberan repeated his trick of early second-half changes by introducing Albrighton for Diangana into a stuttered start to the second period due to a head injury for Boro defender Paddy McNair, picked up as Dike almost made it a hat-trick with a brilliant third.

The big frontman was fed by Albrighton from the left and out-muscled McNair to spin into the box with ease. The American then showed excellent technique to dance between challenges but should have given Steffen no chance from close range, but the keeper won the battle this time.

Corberan's men forced yet another big chance to put the contest to bench after the hour but skipper Dara O'Shea could only power a header wide of the left post from Swift's corner. O'Shea looked irritated with himself having timed the jump well.

Boro came again as the game entered its final 20 minutes. The Smethwick End upped the volume levels in a bid to will their side home.

But for all of their possession in decent areas, Middlesbrough really struggled to threaten Griffiths and Albion's goal.

There were typical nerves as Albion defended with a lot of possession along their own backline, and involving the young keeper, but by and large - to the delight of Corberan - the home side managed the game very well.

Boro's one chance arrived deep into nine minutes added on and Griffiths was there, scrambling across to his back post to save from sub Isaiah Jones to preserve a first Baggies clean sheet for the 21-year-old on a big old afternoon for the hosts.

Key moments:

8 - GOAL Albion!! What a start! John Swift's glorious through ball released Jed Wallace on the left side of the box and his low cross was perfect for Daryl Dike to convert from close range.

10 - GOAL Albion! 2-0 and a Dike two-minute double with the hosts on fire. This time Swift's pass was into the path of Dike. His first effort was saved by Steffen but only back to the strike who converted the rebound with ease in front of the Smethwick End.

Albion (4-2-3-1): Griffiths; Furlong, O'Shea (c), Pieters (Ajayi, 86), Townsend; Yokuslu, Molumby (Gardner-Hickman, 90+6); Wallace, Swift (Chalobah, 86), Diangana (Albrighton, 50); Dike (Thomas-Asante, 77).

Subs not used: Button, Reach.

Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Steffen; Smith (Jones, 78), Lenihan, McNair (Fry, 58), Giles; Hackney, Howson (c); Forss (Ramsey, 68), Akpom, McGree; Archer (Crooks, 78).

Subs not used: Roberts, Barlaser, Bola.

Attendance: 25,204 (1,984 Middlesbrough fans)

Referee: Darren Bond