West Brom 2 Bristol City 0 - Report

Goals just before and after half-time from Tom Fellows and Jed Wallace meant Carlos Corberan's side extended their impressive recent run to just one defeat in 10 games.

It took Fellows' opener on the stroke of half-time to liven up an otherwise extremely dull first period at The Hawthorns, but the fifth-placed hosts were vastly improved in the second period.

Captain Wallace tapped home a second five minutes after the interval and it was plain-sailing for Corberan's troops thereafter. They might have added more before Bristol City, who have now won just twice away in 14 attempts, had a limp effort at fighting back late on, but never really threatened the Baggies.

Hull were not in action this weekend due to Coventry's remarkable victory over Wolves in the FA Cup and Albion took advantage, to open up an eight-point buffer to the Tigers in seventh. With eight games of the campaign left after the international break, Corberan's side have done all they can to ensure they are sitting inside the top six come the beginning of May.

A team news surprise saw Kyle Bartley drop to the bench after his commanding display upon return from injury at Huddersfield last weekend.

Erik Pieters resumed his place in Corberan's backline after his excellent form in Bartley's absence.

The Baggies' other change was an expected return for Tom Fellows, for the ineligible Andi Weimann, who was not permitted to be involved against his parent club. Wallace returned to the lone front role, with Fellows, Grady Diangana and Mikey Johnston in support.

Liam Manning's visitors made three changes after a victory last time out - which ended a run of four defeats. Two were enforced with Cam Pring struggling for fitness and Joe Williams missing. Haydon Roberts, at left-back, veteran Andy King and Mark Sykes came into the side.

Taylor Gardner-Hickman partnered King in midfield and was well-received as his name was announced, after the academy prospect swapped the Black Country for Bristol in a cut-price deal in January.

Corberan's hosts showed some intent after a very quiet first five minutes but a loose Pieters touch offered the Robins a chance on the break. Fortunately for the Baggies, Sykes got a strike all wrong from Tommy Conway's cross.

Albion man-of-the-moment Johnston threatened to spark life into an uneventful opening period. The Ireland international was up to his old tricks, turning this way and that outside the box, but this time his low curled strike from range drifted well wide of the far post.

Again the Robins threatened, and again via an agricultural route one method. A hoofed clearance was helped on by Anis Mehmeti and the flight deceived Cedric Kipre, leaving striker Tommy Conway racing in on goal.

The angle was slightly tight, to the attacker's left, but out rushed Alex Palmer to make himself big and keep out the effort, much like the number of stops he made at Huddersfield las weekend.

The theme of Albion's forgettable first half from an attacking perspective was reaching some decent positions, mostly from the flank, with final deliveries just wayward, or other crossed wires or a lack of supporting bodies in the Robins' penalty area.

Lively attacker Mehmeti flashed a strike wide across goal from outside the box, which begged for a team-mate's touch, as Albion looked ponderous.

A low-key contest was drifting nowhere quickly but there was lift-off for Albion just as the fourth additional was about to announce one minute of stoppage time.

Fellows was involved in the start of the move on the halfway line. He almost lost possession but the move progressed to his colleague on the other flank Johnston.

Johnston was sharp as ever on the ball and darted infield. The loanee looked like potentially losing the ball but prodded square to Okay Yokuslu.

Albion's Turk, under pressure, smartly prodded five yards right to Fellows. The youngster breached the penalty box and intelligently cut on to his left foot, surprising the home defenders.

Fellows gave goalkeeper Max O'Leary the eyes, threatening to open his body and curl to the far corner, but instead he drilled hard and low towards the near post. His effort flew under bodies in a crowded box and nestled in the net.

Corberan acted at the interval and switched Pieters for Bartley after the Dutchman had a couple of wobbles in possession.

Within five minutes of the second half the hosts doubled their lead and looked on the way to a routine success.

It was an easy but well-worked second. Johnston was involved again, and released Townsend near the left byline. The returning full-backs low delivery was on the money for his captain Wallace to gratefully side foot into an empty net inside the six-yard box.

It was much more of a commanding Baggies display thereafter, though City did go close to halving the deficit as skipper Jason Knght's header grazed the crossbar on its way over.

The floodgates threatened to open for Corberan's side who should have punished the uninspired Robins further.

Diangana improved markedly on a limp first half and a wonderful first touch sold Rob Dickie on halfway. The winger was through on goal but lacked the pace and conviction and was caught by a retreating defender.

Seconds later Johnston danced into the box and drew a parried save by O'Leary, only for the rebound to roll to Yokuslu inside the box, but the midfielder's first-time strike flew wide. It was a significantly easier opening than his Huddersfield rocket.

Corberan introduced John Swift and Brandon Thomas-Asante as Albion charged forward four on two, but Fellows could only shoot at O'Leary before French free transfer recruit Yann M'Vila was given a debut for the final 10 minutes and kept the ball ticking.

Even at just 2-0 the visitors looked well out of it and their advances and strikes at goal totally lacked belief. Right-back Ross McCrorie fired well off-target before Sykes did the same from the left.

Gardner-Hickman's effort from 25 yards was better and tested old pal Palmer, who made a parried save. Sykes' late flicked header at the near post dropped on to the crossbar and bounced over, but City never truly looked like troubling convincing Albion.

Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong, Kipre, Pieters (Bartley, 45), Townsend; Yokuslu (M'Vila, 81), Mowatt; Fellows (Reach, 81), Diangana (Swift, 65), Johnston; Wallace (c) (Thomas-Asante, 71).

Subs not used: Griffiths, Ajayi, Chalobah, Marshall.

Bristol City (4-2-3-1): O'Leary; McCrorie (Tanner, 84), Dickie, Vyner, Roberts (Pring, 84); Gardner-Hickman, King (Wells, 68); Sykes, Knight (c), Mehmeti (Cornick, 68); Conway (Twine, 68).

Subs not used: Bajic, Knight-Lebel, Meerholz, Mebude.

Attendance: 25,254 (1,991 Bristol City fans)

Referee: Tom Nield