Match Report: West Brom 3 PNE 0

Preston North End finished the 2023/24 Sky Bet Championship campaign with a 3-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion.

The Baggies took the lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage-time from the penalty spot, courtesy of Alex Mowatt.

West Brom then scored twice more in the second half through Kyle Bartley and Darnell Furlong, and they sealed a place in the Play-Offs.

Grady Diangana had the first effort inside the opening two minutes, which Freddie Woodman was equal to, while at the other end Alex Palmer was helped by a big deflection on Andrew Hughes’ strike from distance.

North End were looking bright and in the 17th minute a long ball over the top looked to have sent Riis through on goal, but his touch took him wide past Palmer and his cross couldn’t quite be taken down by Liam Millar.

The Danish forward soon had to be taken off after taking what looked like a knock to his back, and Milutin Osmajić came on to partner Will Keane.

There was a let off for North End in the 35th minute as a Mowatt free-kick was nodded down for Brandon Thomas-Asante, who sent a left-footed effort wide from six yards.

Woodman had to come up with a superb double save in the 38th minute to keep out Mikey Johnston and Conor Townsend respectively, albeit the latter was flagged offside.

The sides were all ready to head into the break level, until Liam Lindsay was penalised for an alleged foul on Furlong, and Mowatt stepped up to send Woodman the wrong way from the spot.

West Brom had a golden chance to double their advantage five minutes into the second half, but Cedric Kipré volleyed over from six yards, unmarked on the end of a corner.

Thomas-Asante then had arguably an ever better opportunity in the 58th minute following good work by Johnston on the left, however the striker somehow sent his close-range effort over.

A second goal was to arrive, though, and it came from a long throw-in by Furlong, which was headed over Woodman by Bartley and into the back of the net.

The Baggies had a third in the 68th minute when Townsend made his way into the box and pulled it back to Furlong, who tapped into the open net.

There wasn’t much in the way of opportunities for North End in the second period, although Will Keane did have a chance in the 79th minute on the end of Browne’s lofted free-kick, but he could only head wide.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes (Best, 84); Browne, Whatmough, Holmes (Seary, 72), Millar; Frøkjær (Stewart, 72); Keane (Evans, 84), Riis (Osmajić, 29). Subs not used: Cornell, Brady, T.Mawene, N.Mawene.