West Brom seal much-needed win to ease pressure on Ryan Mason

Second-half goals from Aune Heggebo and Karlan Grant set up a 2-0 win for West Brom against in-form Sheffield United and relieved the pressure on head coach Ryan Mason.

Heggebo broke the deadlock at The Hawthorns in the 50th minute with his seventh goal in as many games, then teed up Grant to seal it 11 minutes later.

But United will be kicking themselves after missing four first-half opportunities.

Victory for West Brom was only their second in six after back-to-back defeats cranked up the heat on Mason. Though 14th, this result moved them within three points of the play-off zone ahead of the weekend action.

United, who had been unbeaten in six with 14 points from the last 18 available, were denied an eighth-minute lead when Gustavo Hamer’s stinging shot was superbly palmed behind by goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith after Tyrese Cambell beat his man.

Wildsmith almost went from hero to villain as his poor kick hit Hamer and bounced beyond him towards the empty net, but Albion cleared the danger.

Albion’s first serious sight of goal came when Ousmane Diakite headed well over under pressure from goalkeeper Michael Cooper from Callum Styles’s corner.

United were denied for a third time in the 32nd minute when Nat Phillips slid in to block Tyrese Campbell’s shot after a speedy breakaway when Hamer found the striker in space.

Albion gifted United another chance when Diakite was caught dallying on the edge of his own box. Patrick Bamford intercepted and Tyrese Campbell played him in for a volley that sailed straight at Wildsmith.

Djibril Soumare was the latest United player to be presented with a chance, but the midfielder blazed over on the angle from inside the penalty area.

Heggebo latched onto a chance just before half-time but he could only fire high and wide.

The Norway striker atoned when he broke the deadlock. Heggebo started and finished the move, stabbing the ball out wide to George Campbell on halfway then racing for the return, arriving between two defenders to slot home.

Grant made it 2-0 with a thunderbolt that rocketed into the roof of the net in the 61st minute.

Heggebo put him through with a clever pass and Grant’s path to goal opened up when centre back Mark McGuinness fell before he rifled home from the edge of the box.

Diakite missed a sitter to make it 3-0 when a deep cross seemed to come off his knee, then Isaac Price was clearly pushed by Japhet Tanganga when clean through but stayed on his feet when he might have won a penalty.