West Brom 1-0 Coventry: Grady Diangana scores in midlands derby
West Brom 1-0 Coventry: Grady Diangana provides difference in thrilling midlands derby to put Baggies back into playoff contention
- Grady Diangana’s first-half goal gave West Brom a 1-0 win over Coventry
- Despite a breathless start to the match, both sides missed chances throughout
- West Brom now move to fifth in the table two points behind Luton in fourth
Grady Diangana’s first-half strike was the only goal in a gripping midlands derby that saw West Brom defeat Coventry 1-0 at the The Hawthornes to go back into contention for the playoffs.
It took 15 minutes for West Brom to take the lead, with Diangana sweeping the ball into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season, after Jed Wallace flicked on a monster of a throw from Daniel Furlong.
And after such a breathless first half, with both sides squandering early chances, it was a surprise that the 24-year-old’s strike was the difference heading into the break.
Daryl Dike spurned a very close chance early on, while Viktor Gyokeres uncharacteristically mis-kicked a second across the face of the goal just moments later.
Marc Albrighton and Wallace were imperious down the right flank, causing some trouble for Coventry defenders Brooke Norton-Duffy and Jamie Allen, with Wallace firing one narrowly wide of the bottom left corner just before half-time.
Match Facts
West Brom XI: D Button; D Furlong; D O’Shea (c); E Pieters; C Townsend; O Yokuslu; J Molumby; G Diangana; J Wallace; M Albrighton; D Dike.
Substitutes: N Chalobah; S Ajayi; K Ahearne-Grant; J Swift; A Reach; B Thomas-Asante; J Griffiths.
Manager: Mark Robins
Coventry XI: B Wilson; L McNally; C Doyle; J Panzo; B Norton-Cuffy; B Sheaf; G Hamer; J Bidwell; J Allen (c); K Palmer; V Gyokeres.
Substitutes: S Moore; L Kelly; J Wilson-Esbrand; S Maguire; M Godden; J Eccles; J Burroughs.
Manager: Carlos Corberán
Match Officials
Referee: Gavin Ward
Assistants: Daniel Leach, Akil Howson
Fourth official: John Busby
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