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West Bromwich Albion 3-0 Watford: Baggies continue resurgence with comfortable win

  /  autty

West Brom clinched Sky Bet Championship safety - pending a possible points deduction - with a 3-0 win over Watford at The Hawthorns.

Isaac Price scored the first goal and made the second for Daryl Dike's second in as many games before half-time as James Morrison's side made it nine games unbeaten.

On-loan Crystal Palace right-back Danny Imray scored a deserved third goal for the Baggies, who made it 488 minutes without conceding.

Albion must now wait to see the outcome from a hearing following alleged infringements of Profit and Sustainability Rules.

But for now they are safe following one of their most one-sided victories of the season, with Watford registering just one on-target effort.

Albion threatened first with a fierce low 25-yard drive from Price, but it flew straight at goalkeeper Egil Selvik.

But Price did not waste his opportunity when he was presented with another chance.

This time he broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, sweeping home a first-time shot from 12 yards after a teasing cross from Imray.

Nampalys Mendy's full-blooded volley was tipped away by goalkeeper Max O'Leary as Watford went close to an equaliser two minutes later.

Watford captain Mattie Pollock was booked for catching Price late as the attacking midfielder threatened to break from wide.

Dike sent a looping header wide from Alex Mowatt's cross as Albion pressed again.

Dike's next header proved decisive as it ended in the roof of the net from Price's curling free-kick on the right in the 41st minute.

Referee Anthony Bakehouse allowed Nestory Irankunda's handball from Price's kick, while Dike shrugged off Mendy's attempts to drag him down.

Watford centre-back James Abankwah was booked for holding at an Albion corner shortly after the second half got under way.

Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby was next in the book following a late touchline tackle on Kevin Keben.

Mowatt sliced over a 20-yard volley from Price's knockdown as Albion broke from a period of Watford possession.

Luca Kjerrumgaard missed a great chance to reduce the deficit for Watford when he headed weakly straight at O'Leary from Othmane Maamma's cross.

Albion made it 3-0 in clinical style in the 69th minute, Imray side-footing home after Josh Maja teed him up after Price knocked Molumby's deep cross back into the danger area.

Clean-through Maamma missed two fine chances either side of the end of normal time for the visitors, blazing over then firing straight at O'Leary.

The managers

West Brom's James Morrison:

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Watford's Ed Still:

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