Plymouth 0 West Brom 3 - Report

A spirited second half performance from Albion was rewarded when Cedric Kipre finished from close-range just past the hour after Plymouth failed to deal with Alex Mowatt's low corner delivery.

Mikey Johnston climbed off the bench to add a stunning second as he floored Matthew Sorinola with a feint before rifling his finish into the top corner.

Tom Fellows added the finishing touches to the victory in stoppage touch as Albion won on the road for the first time since beating rock bottom Rotherham United 2-0 on December 12.

Corberan made three changes, including one enforced, as Brandon Thomas-Asante missed out with a hamstring injury, after he was replaced at half-time during last Friday's 2-0 defeat at Southampton.

However, Andreas Weimann shook off an illness to make a timely return to the starting XI as he was elected to lead the line. Nathaniel Chalobah also came in for his first start since November, whilst Tom Fellows was recalled at the expense of Johnston.

The first period never sparked into life and nor did it really threaten to. Albion had the better of the opening exchanges with Alex Mowatt forcing the first sighter when his deflected effort from the edge of the box dribbled wide of the left-hand post.

Adam Randell sent a speculative volley skipping wide of the target from distance and Plymouth felt they should've had a penalty moments later when Darko Gyabi went down under a challenge from Nathaniel Chalobah.

Chances were few and far between although the best fell to Weimann, who could only send his strike straight at Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard after Darnell Furlong's long throw was flicked into his path.

Sloppiness started to seep into Albion's game although Plymouth rarely looked like punishing them. Corberan chose not to make any changes at the break but there was a distinct difference in how they started the second half.

Albion immediately got on the front-foot and had two golden chances to find the breakthrough within eight minutes of the restart. Fellows drifted inside with a smart drop of the shoulder and threaded a sumptuous pass for Weimann, who could only fire inches wide of the far post when he found himself one-on-one with Hazard.

Wallace came even closer with a deflected shot from close-range that cannoned off the post and dribbled across the face of goal before Plymouth cleared. The chances kept coming with Chalobah drawing an outstanding finger tip save from Hazard after Conor Townsend hung a delicious cross to the back post.

The pressure eventually tolled when Mowatt whipped the resulting corner into the danger area and Kipre emerged among a sea of bodies to smash home from inside the six-yard box.

Plymouth swapped both wing-backs prior to Albion's opener but failed to pose too much danger out wide despite the fact that Albion took their foot off the gas somewhat.

Corberan's substitutes were much more effective with Grady Diangana playing through the middle alongside Jed Wallace, who had gone more central after John Swift limped off.

Johnston was also introduced into the action for the final 18 minutes and needed just six to make his mark when he cut inside and unleashed a beautiful pinpoint finish into the far top corner.

Diangana squandered a gilt-edged chance to add a third when he blazed over Townsend's cut back but Fellows sealed the deal in second half stoppage time with a tap-in from close-range after Hazard parried Wallace's effort.

Teams

Plymouth (3-4-2-1): Hazard; Phillips, Gibson, Galloway; Mumba (Sorinola 59), Gyabi (Houghton 79), Randell (Edwards 79), Sousa (Miller 59); Whittaker, Devine (Bundu 79); Hardie.

Subs not used: Burton, Issaka, Pleguezuelo, Waine.

Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong (Ajayi 83), Kipre, Pieters, Townsend; Chalobah (Yokusulu 66), Mowatt (Reach 83); Wallace, Swift (Diangana 66), Fellows; Weimann (Johnston 72).

Subs not used: Griffiths, Pipa, Marshall, Malcolm.

Referee: Tom Nield

Attendance: 16,310 (1,600)

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