West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan was delighted with West Brom’s aggression in the Baggies’ 3-1 victory over fellow play-off contenders Hull.
Corberan’s side have now lost only one of their last 10 championship fixtures and the victory over Hull also carried on their excellent home record over Hull, with Albion now unbeaten in nine against the Tigers.
Captain Jed Wallace gave Albion the lead on 14 minutes before they were pegged back just before half-time by a Lewie Coyle strike.
Matt Phillips and substitute Semi Ajayi netted in the second half to give the hosts all three points.
Corberan believed his side played well against one of the Championship’s most competitive teams.
“I’m pleased because we were playing a very competitive game, I knew it would be because I respect Hull City; they have put together good players with a good coach,” Corberan said.
“We were playing against one of the most competitive teams in the Championship and it was a massive defensive display to see if we could be solid and aggressive at the same time.
“The team was solid and we only made one mistake and it was their goal.
“In the second half we were more aggressive and attacked better and that for me was why we scored the goals.
“The way we scored the second goal it was one of the nicest goals we scored and with this goal the belief of the players, the confidence of the players in the way they kept competing was for me excellent.”
The head coach was also delighted with the display of Grady Diangana, who assisted both goals in the second half.
“He is one special player; we are really pleased to see him scoring goals and giving assists because he is very important to the other players in attack,” Corberan said.
“The fact we have more injuries in attack has helped him get more minutes, with these minutes he’s using them very well.”
Hull head coach Liam Rosenior could not oversee a first win for his side at the Hawthorns since a 3-0 victory in the Premier League in 2008.
The Tigers dropped to ninth in the Championship and Rosenior was frustrated at the result.
“We were in complete control and we gift the goal away. We probably do that move 1,000 times in training to perfect it and we make a mistake and that’s on me because I’m asking the team to play this way,” Rosenior said.
“The reason we play this way is the next 50 minutes of the game, we were absolutely on top.
“To come here to a team with the players they have on the pitch and completely dominate possession and go toe-to-toe, we were the better team and to throw it away in the manner that we did is so frustrating.”
Rosenior said the club lost four players this week to injury and Aaron Connolly became unavailable despite being named on the bench.
“I wanted to change Aaron Connolly and get him on the pitch but when he’s warming up in the first half his toe completely swells up so he was available and then became unavailable during the game,” Rosenior explained.
“That’s why we say we need a squad because we are going to have these setbacks and it’s how we respond to them.”
