West Brom 1-0 Wigan Athletic: Daryl Dike heads winner as Baggies edge past Latics

Daryl Dike has now scored six goals, making him the Baggies' leading league scorer this seasonImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Daryl Dike has now scored six goals, making him the Baggies' leading league scorer this season

West Bromwich Albion edged back within four points of the Championship play-off places as they narrowly beat struggling Wigan Athletic.

United States international Daryl Dike headed the only goal of the game from close range to send the battling Latics back to the foot of the Championship table.

It was Albion's eighth win in their last nine home league games under Corberan, in which they conceded just one goal.

But, in the first of successive home games against the bottom two - Huddersfield Town visit The Hawthorns on Saturday - Carlos Corberan's at times nervy side made hard work of it.

They hit the woodwork four times, although one of those efforts, from Jayson Molumby, turned onto the bar by Latics keeper Ben Amos, did set up Dike's match-winning goal.

Albion had already gone close when on-loan Marc Albrighton and Conor Townsend combined down the left only for Molumby to somehow steer wide at the near post.

But Molumby was again involved when the Baggies stole ahead on 27 minutes when Amos valiantly turned the home midfielder's effort on to the crossbar, only for the rebound to drop down almost on the goalline for Dike to nod home.

Five minutes later, Dike could have had a second. He made the chance for himself with a great first touch and lightning turn to wallop a superbly struck right-foot volley goalwards, but Amos this time had the measure of it, somehow having the strength and reflexes to turn it on to the post.

Dara O'Shea then powered a close-range header just over and Townsend had a low left-foot shot turned aside by Amos early in the second half.

Albion then hit the woodwork for a third time when Jed Wallace's shot came back off the post after being played in by Albrighton.

But, as long as it was only 1-0, the visitors were always a threat and two of the Latics' substitutes went close.

Josh Magennis should have done better with the close-range header he ballooned over the bar and then fellow sub Thelo Aasgaard forced young home keeper Josh Griffiths into his first save.

Albion hit the woodwork for a fourth time when John Swift smashed a right-foot effort against the bar - but they had, in fact, done enough.

Who's next?

Albion will host the second-bottom side for the second time in five days when Huddersfield come to the Black Country on Saturday, having edged above Wigan thanks to a 0-0 draw at home to Bristol City.

Wigan face another tough away test at Championship leaders Burnley.

West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan told BBC Sport:

"I knew that it would not be an easy game and that it would all depend on whether we could take our chances.

"If we could have scored a second goal, we would have been watching a different game.

"But I am pleased with Daryl Dike as he has been working very hard.

"Okay Yokuslu was excellent in attack and defence. He was one of our best players."

Wigan Athletic manager Shaun Maloney told BBC Sport:

"The first-half performance was not really what we're looking for given the position we're in.

"In the second half there was a lot more intent in the way we tried to attack and we created chances.

"Of course we can get out of it and the mood is good but we can't afford to drift again like we did in that first half. That won't happen again.

"Burnley on Saturday will be a challenge but we just have to give what we can, as we did in the second half here, and then I can't ask any more from the players."

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