Soccer

Mikey Johnston double makes it six goals in seven games as West Brom win

Two goals for the in-form Irish winger tighten club’s grip on play-off place

West Bromwich Albion's Mikey Johnston (left) celebrates with team-mates after scoring. Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA Wire
West Bromwich Albion's Mikey Johnston (left) celebrates with team-mates after scoring. Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA Wire
Sun Mar 10 2024 - 15:19

A double courtesy of Ireland’s in-form winger Mikey Johnston, a goal on Kyle Bartley’s return and a thunderbolt from Okay Yokuslu set the Baggies on their way to an important win to stretch their unbeaten run to five games and tighten their grip on a play-off place in the Championship.

Andre Breitenreiter – Huddersfield’s fifth boss since Corberan left the club in July 2022 – oversaw another bright start in his fourth game in charge.

The hosts, who dropped into the relegation zone following Stoke’s victory at Preston on Saturday, dominated the early stages and were eventually rewarded.

On the cusp of the half hour mark, Burgzorg opened the scoring against the Baggies – just as he did in the reverse fixture back in September.

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The Dutch forward twisted beyond Darnell Furlong before unleashing a fierce strike that wriggled under stopper Alex Palmer – his seventh goal of the campaign.

And a rocked West Brom nearly found themselves further behind moments later, but they were indebted to Bartley’s heroic last-ditch challenge to thwart Jack Rudoni.

Despite a dreadful first half, the Baggies only found themselves one goal behind and Corberan’s instructions at the interval proved decisive.

A transformed side returned for the restart and they soon found their leveller to open the floodgates.

Jed Wallace dashed to the byline and teed up Celtic loanee Johnston for a simple tap-in, with the latter continuing his hot goalscoring streak since a January switch.

Burgzorg was gifted a golden chance to restore Huddersfield’s lead by Yokuslu, but Palmer raced out crucially to deny a Town second.

And that miss would prove pivotal for the course of the fixture as the visitors completed their quickfire comeback on the hour mark.

A Wallace strike prompted pinball in the hosts’ box with a poaching Bartley on hand to poke home – marking his first start in seven games with a goal.

Turkish international Yokuslu, who turned 30 on Saturday, then marked his birthday weekend in style as his piledriver from range arrowed beyond a helpless Nicholls.

The rampant Baggies soon added a fourth through Johnston’s second of the afternoon.

The dazzling winger skipped beyond Matty Pearson and slotted coolly beyond Nicholls for his sixth goal in seven games.

And to compound a miserable afternoon for the Terriers, a heroic Palmer double save denied both Rudoni and Danny Ward as they remain in the drop zone.

Meanwhile, West Brom secured a first win this season after conceding first and a first league victory at Huddersfield since 2000.