Championship roundup: Johnston helps West Brom roar back at Huddersfield
Carlos Corberán expressed his delight as West Brom came from behind to thump Huddersfield 4-1.
Marking his first return to the John Smith’s Stadium since departing as manager in 2022, Corberan oversaw a rampant display as West Brom tightened their grip on the playoffs. It was not plain sailing for the visitors, who failed to register a shot in the first half as they fell behind to Delano Burgzorg’s opener.
But a double courtesy of the inform Mikey Johnston – his fifth and sixth goals since a January loan move from Celtic – inspired a second-half comeback. A poacher’s finish from Kyle Bartley twinned with an Okay Yokuslu thunderbolt topped off a rampaging second-half showing.
“We knew that today was important and that it was going to be a tough game,” said Corberán, whose side stretched their unbeaten run to five games. “In one week, we’ve had three games and two away. Playing away is tough, especially when you play against a team that are fighting to survive.
“I like the fact that I saw the right mentality of my team, especially in the second half. It was important after the first half to understand the type of game that we were playing. In the second half, we wanted to move fast from their press in our pitch and tried to launch attacks in their half. Sometimes it takes us some time to understand the game, but I think the players in the second half had the right character and understanding to win the three points.”
Meanwhile, Huddersfield remain entrenched in the relegation zone as
they were punished for letting their first-half advantage slip. “Their first two goals were really unlucky, and this changed the game,” said André Breitenreiter, their head coach.
“We were fantastic in the first half and controlled the game, we wanted to play the same style in the second half. We should score again after the equaliser and we had a big chance, but that was the difference today – they scored from 30 metres and we didn’t from 10.
“We had a lot of chances and we didn’t use them. West Brom were good in the second half and we have to congratulate them.”
In the day’s other Championship fixture, Rob Dickie headed his fifth league goal of the season to give Bristol City a precious 1-0 victory over Swansea at Ashton Gate. The defender glanced home Joe Williams’s chip into a crowded penalty area on 73 minutes to give the hosts bragging rights over their rivals in a forgettable game of few chances.
Swansea dominated possession for long periods without forcing a save from the home goalkeeper Max O’Leary and could have no complaints. The result left them just five points above the Championship relegation zone, while Bristol City now have a ninepoint cushion to the bottom three.