Swansea 3 West Brom 2 - Report
Albion's defeat to Swansea on the final day of the season had little relevance to the overall Championship table as they missed out on the play-offs.
The Baggies' slim chances of finishing in the top six before kick-off were put to bed long before the full-time whistle with Sunderland beating Preston 3-0 and securing their play-off spot.
And Albion ended their campaign with a disappointing late 3-2 defeat in South Wales courtesy of Joel Piroe's stoppage-time free-kick.
It was Albion who took the lead in South Wales - Okay Yokulsu the man with the goal after the home side had given the ball away deep inside their own half.
The lead did not last long with Luke Cundle firing home in the 26th minute to put the Swans level.
While Swansea saw most of the ball in the first period it was Albion who had better opportunities to score a second with both Karlan Grant and Brandon Thomas-Asante going close.
Jamie Paterson and Joel Piroe missed good opportunities for the hosts within minutes of the restart.
And they were punished when Semi Ajayi poked Albion ahead from a corner.
With Sunderland leading by a big margin, it mattered little when the Swans equalised for a second time - Oliver Ntcham firing in from distance.
In stoppage time the Swans took the lead and the points when Piroe curled into the bottom corner from a free-kick.
ANALYSIS
Albion arrived in Wales on the final day of the season with slim hopes of a play-off place.
But first, they needed to take care of business themselves. Anything other than three points would end Baggies' hopes of finishing in the top six.
Coberan named an unchanged side for the clash. The same 11 players being chosen as those who featured in the 2-1 win last time out - where they came from behind to beat Norwich.
The only talking point before the game was that Marc Albrighton, a January loan signing from Leicester, did not make the 18-man squad, he was instead replaced by Tom Rogic.
The Swans saw the majority of the ball in the opening 10 minutes but it was Albion who had the first big chance of the afternoon. Jayson Molumby had won the ball back on the edge of the host's penalty area.
John Swift played in Jed Wallace who crossed to the back post where Thomas-Asante should have turned home but could not turn it goalwards.
Jamie Paterson went close for Swansea after good work to shake off Yokuslu. The former Walsall man unleashed a left-footed shot but it went comfortably wide.
And in the 13th minute, Albion took the lead. The home side gifted John Swift the ball inside their area, he calmly rolled the ball back to Yokuslu who calmly slotted it beyond Andy Fisher.
The Swans were level when Wolves loanee Cundle struck in the 26th minute after nice play worked an opportunity for him to fire beyond Alex Palmer.
Grant and Thomas-Asante fired efforts at Andy Fisher moments later. Grant's was parried by the keeper after he carried it forward and Thomas-Asante's left-footed strike was gathered after a quick Baggies counter-attack.
Swansea's goal seemed to settle them down and Albion were content to sit behind the ball seeing just 29 per cent possession.
It was an evenly contested first period and the scores being level at the break was perhaps a fair reflection of the action in South Wales.
Within a minute of the restart, the Swans went close. Paterson cut in from the left and shot narrowly wide
They had another great chance seconds later when Baggies lost the ball in their own half, but Joel Piroe fired wide when he really should have scored.
The home side were made to pay for missing the two golden chances when Ajayi gave them the lead from a set piece.
Captain Conor Townsend won the first header. The ball bounced around the penalty area before Ajayi poked it into the top corner.
The hosts hit back again though, not content to give up, Ntcham fired home from just outside the box.
Thomas- Asante headed wide for Albion as they looked to regain the lead.
With results going against Albion, the final stages of the game had little relevance to the season other than personal pride.
And with the final kick of the 22/23 season - Piroe bent a free-kick into the bottom corner.
Teams
Albion: Palmer, Furlong, Ajayi, Pieters (Bartley 78), Townsend, Yokuslu (Garden-Hickman 62), Molumby, Swift, Wallace, Grant, Thomas-Asante.
Subs: Griffiths, Bartley, Livermore, Gardner-Hickman, Rogic, Malcolm, Faal.
Swansea: Fisher, Manning, Cabango, Ntcham, Paterson (Naughton 72), Piroe, Cundle, Cullen (Cooper 60), Latibeaudiere, Wood.
Subs: Sondergaard, Darling, Whittaker, Naughton, Sorinola, Cooper, Congreve.
