Brandon Thomas-Asante: 'I would have taken a tap-in', says West Bromwich Albion striker

After scoring in both his first two appearances for West Brom, Brandon Thomas-Asante had not scored in nine games since until Saturday's stunning overhead strike

West Bromwich Albion striker Brandon Thomas-Asante said he "would have taken a tap-in" after ending his goal drought with a spectacular overhead kick.

The early season signing from Salford City struck his first goal in 10 games to complete his side's 2-0 win over Stoke City at The Hawthorns.

Thomas-Asante's stunning effort secured resurgent Albion a third straight win.

"These are the moments you appreciate. I do like to give it a go," the 23-year-old told BBC Radio WM.

"But, happy as I am with the quality of the goal, I just want to keep the numbers up and help out the team.

"Really I was grateful just to start. I wasn't guaranteed to play.

"And I would have taken a tap-in. It's been a while. So I'm just really pleased it went in."

Thomas-Asante went aerial when he acrobatically twisted in mid-flight to score his first goal for Albion on his debut in the eighth minute of injury time against Burnley in September after being brought on as a late substitute by the man that signed him, then boss Steve Bruce.

He was also close to scoring with a similar attempt to net with an overhead kick in last weekend's win at QPR, demonstrating his lack of fear to try things in front of goal when he gets a chance.

But he has had to sit tight during the stumbling succession of early autumn results which led to Bruce's sacking and the appointment of Carlos Corberan as head coach.

Of his 12 appearances to date, half have been from the bench.

"As much as I have had a lot of support from the fans and the other players, I've been a bit frustrated that I've not shown what I can do," said Thomas-Asante.

"Jake Livermore and a few of the other lads have told me just to keep patient. So I've just had to bide my time and take my maximum opportunities."

Corberan 'a football guru'

West Brom have won three times in four games under new boss Carlos Corberan (second from left) - more victories than they achieved in the first three months of the season

Thomas-Asante only started a match for the first time under Corberan on Saturday, and already he says the Spaniard's sheer enthusiasm for the game is shining through.

"He's a real student of the game, a football guru," said Thomas-Asante. "He loves it. And all the players love playing for a manager who clearly so loves the game and studies it like he does.

"He showed me video clips this week of me from a year ago and two years ago. That's the level of detail he goes to. He really knows about us as players - and that really helps us."

It might be said that the World Cup break has come at the wrong time for the Albion, just as they have found their touch, to move out of the Championship's bottom three.

But, although lying 21st, they are remarkably just eight points off a play-off place, with a game in hand on most sides in the division.

And, with a month until their next game, the Monday night trip to former Baggies boss Tony Mowbray's Sunderland on 12 December, there is a lot of work to be done.

Albion do not have a single player away at the World Cup, thanks to the injury-plagued year United States international Daryl Dike has suffered.

Dike made his latest return as a very late substitute on Saturday, and Albion now have plenty of time to get him properly fit and blend in on the training ground.

"We would love to keep the momentum going after three wins in three games," added Thomas-Asante. "But, as much as we're happy about that, it's just about setting us up to have a go at it after the World Cup. We just have to keep working as hard as we have been.

"It will be good to have a break. We have a lot of family people here - and I am looking forward to spending some time with my little boy in the break. But, when we come back, it'll be back to the grind, set up and go again."

Brandon Thomas-Asante was talking to BBC Radio WM's Rob Gurney