West Brom continued their unbeaten streak, now eight matches in a row, by defeating Preston North End 2-0 at Deepdale and pulling further away from the relegation battle in the Championship. The win was highlighted by an early strike from Josh Maja in the 11th minute, followed by a second goal from substitute Daryl Dike in the 77th minute, which effectively sealed the three points for the Baggies. The interim manager, James Morrison, has overseen a remarkable turnaround since taking over.
After a disappointing opening loss to Oxford United, his side has not tasted defeat, a stark contrast to the tenure of former boss Eric Ramsay, who failed to win any of his eight league games in charge. Morrison’s pragmatic approach and the players' renewed confidence have been evident in the way West Brom controlled the match, especially in the first half when they dominated possession and created several clear-cut chances. The victory lifts West Brom five points clear of the danger zone with three games remaining, although the club still faces the spectre of a possible points deduction that could jeopardise their safety.
Nevertheless, the three points provide a crucial buffer and a morale boost as the season draws to a close. The match began with Albion nearly taking an early lead when George Campbell rose to meet Callum Styles' corner in the fourth minute, only to have his header blocked amid a crowded penalty area.
The breakthrough finally arrived when Maja, showing composure beyond his years, struck a powerful shot past Preston goalkeeper Daniel Iversen. The goal came after Aune Heggebo mis‑controlled a well‑timed pass from Isaac Price, allowing Maja to pounce on the loose ball inside the box. Preston’s early hopes were quickly dampened when defender Ben Whiteman suffered an injury while attempting a tackle on Price during the build‑up to the goal.
The incident forced Jordan Thompson to be substituted early, further disrupting the North End side’s rhythm. The Sky Sports app promoted the match for viewers, and a reminder to watch the EFL on Sky with NOW was displayed during the broadcast.
Preston, aware of the stakes, tried to match West Brom’s intensity. Their goalkeeper Iversen made a solid save in the 25th minute, turning away a dangerous cross from Price that seemed destined for the top corner.
Around the half‑hour mark, Preston’s Alfie Devine had a chance to equalise when he glanced at Andrew Hughes’ well‑delivered cross, but his effort sailed wide of the target. The half‑time substitution of Thierry Small for Andrew Moran signalled Paul Heckingbottom’s attempt to inject fresh energy into a side that appeared listless and lacking urgency.
Small’s introduction briefly revitalised Preston, as they produced a more lively second‑half performance. Early after the break, Max O'Leary performed an unorthodox juggling save to keep Daniel Jebbison’s close‑range effort out of the net, showcasing his reflexes in a congested penalty area. In the 56th minute, Brad Potts headed a dangerous ball toward goal, forcing O'Leary to adjust his position and ultimately tip the ball over the bar after Hughes delivered a cross to the back post. Shortly thereafter, Maja had a chance to double his tally, meeting a low delivery from Styles, but his shot was straight at Iversen from the centre of the box.
The decisive moment arrived when Daryl Dike, having entered the fray only seven minutes earlier, received a cut‑back from Jayson Molumby and calmly slotted the ball past Iversen from six yards out. The goal gave West Brom a comfortable cushion and effectively ended Preston’s hopes of a comeback.
In stoppage time, Preston’s Hughes rose high in the box but failed to convert a close‑range opportunity, while Lewis Dobbin headed small’s excellent cross wide, missing a relatively easy chance to narrow the deficit. West Brom held firm for the remainder of the match, securing a valuable three points. After the final whistle, Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom expressed his disappointment: "Really disappointing today. One of the worst performances of the season.
If you get outfought like that in the first half, that cannot happen. You can get beat but not like that. I'm not taking anything away from West Brom.
They've got good players, a good squad and we had no right to beat them but I expected us to turn up and compete. One of the two disappointments was the fact we were outfought in the first half and the fact that everything we prepared for, we didn't execute. Sometimes, if you can't give the players a solution then you're culpable but we knew what we were going to face and for some reason we didn't do well." Morrison, on the other hand, praised his side’s performance: "I thought it was a top performance. The goals came at the right times in the end.
The first one was when we started really well. We got our rewards with a good bit of play and a great finish and then we controlled the game really well without being overstretched. When we had to defend the box, we defended it really well. I always feel confident with Josh that if he gets a chance, he will score, and Daryl's performances have been really good.
He's just been unlucky at times with chances that he's had but that tops his hard work so I'm delighted with him because he's an important part of the group." The win also kept West Brom in contention for the £250,000 Super 6 prize, a free‑to‑play competition that rewards supporters for correctly predicting match outcomes. Entries close at 3 pm on Saturday, adding an extra layer of excitement for fans following the club’s late‑season surge. Overall, the match demonstrated West Brom’s growing confidence under Morrison’s guidance, their ability to capitalize on key moments, and the importance of squad depth when substitutes like Dike make an immediate impact. As the season approaches its climax, the Baggies will look to maintain this momentum, while Preston must regroup quickly to avoid slipping further into the relegation zone.