Ryan Robinson reports from The Hawthorns
West Brom earned their place in the playoffs with a well-deserved 3-0 win over Preston North End.
The Baggies took a well deserved lead when Darnell Furlong was fouled inside the box. Up stepped Alex Mowatt who sent Freddie Woodman the wrong way and put West Brom one foot into the playoffs. It was two on the hour mark when Kyle Barkley hit a header that crept into the goal before a Preston defender could clear it. The third came when Darnell Furlong slotted home.
West Brom dominated play and deserved their 5th place finish, giving them on paper an easier route to the playoff finals at Wembley.
The Baggies almost made their dominance count in the 37th minute, when Mikey Johnston hit a long range shot that was saved into the path of Conor Townsend who tested Freddie Woodman’s cat-like reflexes with a shot from ten yards that was tipped wide.
West Brom made a lighting start in front of a raucous crowd, as Brandon Thomas-Asante spun to hit a shot in the first minute that went straight into the gloves of Woodman between the sticks for The Lilywhites. The West Midlands side came close to another goal when an Alex Mowatt shot was defended by a yellow shirt. In the second half West Brom almost made it three when a Mowatt cross found its way to the ever reliable Brandon Thomas- Asante who hit his effort just over the bar
The Baggies will now look forward to a play off semi-final against Southampton with the first leg taking place at The Hawthorns on Sunday the 12th of May.
Derby Uni Footy Journos 
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