The Hawthorns hosted the final game of the EFL Championship season for both West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End this afternoon.

Albion fans were desperate for the three points ahead of this one, an integral game in their season as all they needed was a win in today's sun to secure their place in the play-offs.

Coreberán's men had a lively start to the match but couldn't find the back of the net in open play through the first half. However, the Baggies took a crucial lead in the added time of the first period when Alex Mowatt's penalty struck the bottom left of the net and granted West Brom the lead going into the dugout at half time.

The Albion captain Kyle Bartley made it 2-0 in the 61st minute of play with a looping header which rose above the defence of the Lilywhites and found it's way over the line before Andrew Hughes could clear it.

Darnell Furlong's simple finish into the bottom right of the net confirmed their position in the play-offs in the 69th minute when he made it three goals to nil.

This marks the fifth game running which PNE have failed to keep a clean sheet in, and also not managed to hit the back of the opposition's net. This is the first time North End have lost five consecutive league games since 2010.

Prior to the game, West Brom had only won once in the last 15 final days of the season, so this was a huge result for the Midlands side.

  • Story of the Match

Carlos Corberán made three changes to his side ahead of the final game of the season seeing some key alterations moving further up the field.

Yann M'Vila dropped to the bench, replaced by their Young Player of the Year Tom Fellows alongside former-Middlesborough man Alex Mowatt. West Brom's top goalscorer Brandon Thomas-Asante came into the side to lead from the front, taking the spot from Jed Wallace.

Three changes were also made in the visiting side's changing room from their disheartening 3-0 loss mid-week to the league champions Leicester City.

Sticking to their five-at-the-back formation, Jordan Storey slotted into the back line in replace of Ireland international Robbie Brady. Ryan Ledson came out of the match day squad ahead of the final day, summer signing Duane Holmes taking his spot whilst Montenegrin forward Milutin Osmajić took to the bench, Emil Riis filling in up top.

The last time the two sides met was a sheer domination for the Baggies, ending four goals to nil at Deepdale. Home fans would've been hoping for this one to resemble the alternate fixture as they sat in sixth-place prior to the game in need to keep this position to take that step closer to their Wembley dreams.

A deafening and spirited crowd at the Hawthorns seemed to push West Bromwich Albion on in the first five minutes of the match, Corberán's men getting a number of chances but the North End goalkeeper kept them out.

The Albion continued this pressure as the time on the clock went on, gamesmanship shown from the Lilywhites made this a lot harder for the Baggies to take the lead. In the 16th minute, a pull-back from Liam Lindsay to stop Thomas-Asante breaking the back line of the visiting side led to the first booking of the match.

Emil Riis had to end his season early in the 29th minute of play due to a knock, meaning Osmajić were left to take his role.

The home side nearly took the lead not long after when Thomas-Asante failed to put it into the bottom right corner with a left-footed effort - disappointment spread as the ball fell to another blue-and-white shirt at the back post who couldn't slot it home.

Freddie Woodman put the travelling fans on their feet with a key double-save off the back of a long range strike which left the ball free in the box meaning the PNE goalkeeper had to put his body on the line to get in front of the shot.

Preston's number six gave a penalty away in the added time of the first half when catching the foot of full-back Darnell Furlong in the box. Alex Mowatt comfortably stepped up to the spot and hit the back of the net taking a crucial lead at the Hawthorns.

Cedric Kipre almost volleyed the Baggies into a two goal lead at the start of the second half but the ball just rose over the crossbar.

A massive chance was squandered by the Albion frontman in the 59th minute on the edge of the six-yard box following a skilful Micheal Johnston run down the left flank who found the Ghanian international in a dangerous position.

Skipper Kyle Bartley doubled their lead in the 61st minute with a looping header from a long throw-in to make it two goals to nil. A marauding Freddie Woodman couldn't get to the ball in time which meant the ball could rise over the Preston back line and cross the line before Hughes could clear it away.

Darnell Furlong sealed the play-off spot when a simple finish into the bottom right found the Baggies with a three goal lead in the 69th minute. This followed a well-contested run into the box from Conor Townsend who came out on top and put it into the path of the right back, securing his fifth league goal of the season.

Ryan Lowe's young substitutes couldn't make the difference that the away fans would've been hoping for, the result ending in the Albion's favour at 3-0.

Preston North End sit in tenth place at the end of the season, saying goodbye to loanee star Liam Millar and potentially their club captain Alan Browne. 

The home side finish the season in fifth place, meaning they face Russel Martin's Southampton across two legs in the upcoming Championship play-off semi-finals.

  • Player of the Match - Darnell Furlong

The West Brom right back for today takes the Player of the Match for what was a brilliant performance in blue and white.

Being involved in all three of the goals for the Baggies, the Englishman was the star of the show in this afternoon where they confirmed their final league position in the play-off zone.

Scoring with a comfortable finish in the 18-yard box, and assisting the skipper's header with a long throw-in into the danger area, this ends Darnell Furlong's season with eight goal contributions from the right flank.

More of this will be wanted from the star-man in the upcoming play-off matches.