West Brom boss underlines set-piece change after 'important' win

Callum Styles and Mikey Johnston whipped in fine deliveries for their colleagues to convert as Mason's side made it three dead ball goals from two games after Ousmane Diakite netted a consolation from a corner last time out.

Mason confirmed he and his coaching staff changed their messaging and instruction around set-pieces a couple of months ago and he feels a belief is generating.

"Set-pieces are important," Mason said. "We've changed a little bit what we've done in the last 13 or 14 games.

"So it's sticking to our principles with that. The lads have been really consistent and really buying in and believing in it. I think you can see in the last 10 or so games, it's a lot more dangerous and that's something that we need to try to continue doing."

He added:  "Just discipline and consistency with certain things.

"If you look at our games, you see. It's no secret, but the delivery has improved and the buy-in and the belief. You get belief in anything when you have success.

"We've had relative success in the last couple of months from our set-plays. In this league and any league, in football, if you want to be successful, sometimes you need to find a way to win and set-pieces are a big part of that.

"The way he (Phillips) attacks the ball we expect it from him to be perfectly honest. It's something that we need to keep pushing him and keep pushing the other players. 

"George (Campbell) is a big boy. Meps (Mepham), Krystian (Bielik), Oussie (Diakite) is a big boy. We need to keep attacking the ball, putting the ball in the right areas and hopefully continue in that way."

Phillips made it three goals for the season with his first effort at home while for Campbell, like Diakite against Bristol City, it was a first Albion goal.

Styles' corner made the first and the left-back sent in a series of fine deliveries. Winger Johnston made it nine assists for the campaign and it would have been 10 were it not for a goal disallowed for offside.

Vice-captain Alex Mowatt, who returned from injury to start, is generally a lead set-piece taker, as is Johnston.

"It was a good win," the head coach said. "The most important thing today was to win a game of football. We were able to do that and to respond from the other day, it was crucial that we won today's game.

"Fair play to the players because I thought we played a good game."