West Brom Secure Crucial Win Over Preston to Boost Survival Hopes

West Brom extended their unbeaten streak to eight games with a 2-0 victory over Preston in the Championship, moving them further away from the relegation zone. Josh Maja's composed finish in the 11th minute gave the Baggies the lead, before Daryl Dike sealed the win with a decisive strike in the 77th minute. The result leaves West Brom five points clear of danger with three games remaining, despite the looming threat of a points deduction. Interim manager James Morrison's side has turned their fortunes around since his appointment, in contrast to the struggling tenure of former boss Eric Ramsay. The visitors dominated the early stages, with George Campbell's header blocked in a crowded penalty area, before Maja emphatically scored the opener after Aune Heggebo miscontrolled a pass. Preston's woes deepened when Ben Whiteman picked up an injury, and they struggled to create clear chances, with Alfie Devine glancing a cross wide in the first half. The introduction of Thierry Small at halftime failed to spark a reaction from the hosts, who were denied by Max O'Leary's unorthodox save and Brad Potts' header being tipped over. Maja could have doubled his tally, but fired straight at Daniel Iversen, before Dike smashed home the second goal after coming off the bench. Preston's late efforts, including Hughes' ballooned shot and Lewis Dobbin's headed miss, were in vain as West Brom held on for a vital win. Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom expressed his disappointment at the performance, stating it was one of the worst of the season, while James Morrison praised his side's top performance and the goalscoring duo of Maja and Dike.