Blackpool 0 West Brom 2 - Report

Carlos Corberan's men ended their travel sickness with a win at Stoke on Saturday and goals in either half from Brandon Thomas-Asante and Taylor Gardner-Hickman at Bloomfield Road helped breath more life into the Baggies' late play-off surge.

Around 1,200 travelling Baggies roared with conviction about their side heading to the Premier League for the first time since scintillating form under Corberan came to an end in January.

Top scorer Thomas-Asante flicked in a clever ninth goal of the season before Gardner-Hickman, on as a first-half substitute, slotted a cool finish to seal the points on the hour, with the bonus prize of Sunderland and Millwall dropping points elsewhere.

The visitors may well recall a spring midweek evening on the seaside as the occasion real belief grew in Corberan leading his troops to the big time. Rivals are in action tomorrow night and could overhaul Albion, but a first away clean sheet since Boxing Day will only boost hopes that injury-hit Albion are coming good when it really counts.

Albion head home to The Hawthorns with monumental clashes with fellow contenders Sunderland and Norwich ahead, with belief soaring.

Corberan talked up the impact of Karlan Grant from the bench at Stoke on Saturday and last season's top goalscorer was included from the off in a league game for the first time since November 1, the reverse clash against the Seasiders - the head coach's first victory.

He was the side's sole change, in for the injured Daryl Dike - who it was confirmed earlier in the day would miss at least six months with an Achilles injury picked up in the Potteries.

Midfielder Okay Yokuslu was still unable to feature and was not even among the substitutes, but there was a recall for Gardner-Hickman, who missed the weekend with a knock to his knee.

Second-bottom Blackpool recovered from a run of four straight defeats last time out as interim boss Stephen Dobbie oversaw a 1-0 home win over basement boys Wigan.

The hosts made three changes, with Jordan Gabriel, Charlie Patino and CJ Hamilton all introduced. Also in the home side was Morgan Rogers, the Halesowen-born former Albion academy starlet sold to Manchester City in 2019. Rogers is on loan from the Etihad.

Rogers almost came back to haunt the club he joined at under-9s inside five minutes.

The hosts started the brighter and should've been rewarded with the lead. One winger crossed for the other as Hamilton's delivery from the left was helped on to the post by Rogers from inside the six yard box with Alex Palmer motionless.

Albion were able to establish some control despite a disrupted opening 15 minutes featuring treatment for a couple of home players.

Like at Stoke, Nathaniel Chalobah started the game well for Albion and fired wide from distance before Corberan's men forced a controversial corner that may have come off a blue and white shirt.

John Swift's corner from the right was deep and met by Conor Townsend. The captain's touch down in a crowded area was exquisite, as was Thomas-Asante's positioning and finish to turn home a clever flick that deceived keeper Dan Grimshaw on its way in.

Albion's lead was somewhat against the run of play and home top scorer Jerry Yates fired wide from distance and the visitors just about survived a corner with the help of Darnell Furlong's crucial clearance.

The Seasiders were wasteful and should have levelled after Swift's pocket was picked in his own third. Keshi Anderson jinked into the box and fired inches wide of Palmer's left post.

Chalobah was given treatment 10 minutes before the break but had to hobble off for Gardner-Hickman 10 minutes later as Albion's injury curse continued.

And Corberan's men were grateful for some of Palmer's best work between the sticks as Rogers was denied again in lengthy first half stoppage time. It was an outstanding reaction save.

The visitors started the second half well. Thomas-Asante sent a difficult header wide from Grant's cross before a flowing move involving Palmer, Townsend and Jed Wallace ended with Grant being denied one-on-one by Grimshaw.

Albion kept going and were rewarded on the hour. Thomas-Asante worked tirelessly for his side in the corner and the composed Swift unselfishly squared for Gardner-Hickman to finish unerringly from eight yards. Cue bedlam.

Thomas-Asante and Wallace were inches from scrambling in a third before Wallace's angled effort was deflected just wide in the goalmouth.

Two was more than enough on an evening to remember at the seaside as Baggies fans chanted about promotion long into the night.

Teams

Blackpool (4-3-3): Grimshaw; Gabriel, Nelson, Thorniley, Lyons; Fiorini, Patino (Holmes, 75), Anderson (Carey, 45); Rogers (Bowler, 63), Yates, Hamilton.

Subs not used: Maxwell, Connolly, Dougall, Garbutt.

Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong, Ajayi, Pieters, Townsend (c); Molumby, Chalobah (Gardner-Hickman, 39); Wallace, Swift (Rogic, 70), Grant (Albrighton, 79); Thomas-Asante.

Subs not used: Griffiths, Livermore, Malcolm, Faal.

Attendance: 10,705

Referee: Stephen Martin