James Morrison grateful as West Brom goal burden eased

Summer signing Stewart, 22, notched his first Baggies goal in just his second start in the comeback victory over Blackburn last weekend.

The Scotland under-21 international hotshot has bided his time for an opportunity in Morrison’s forward ranks with Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Aune Heggebo the preferred pair for much of this term.

But former Falkirk frontman Stewart helped launch Albion’s fightback and Morrison was grateful his strike was able to help share the load with Heggebo in particular.

“Especially (big) for Barney, really,” Morrison said. “He’s coming off internationals.

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“And I felt it was the right time for him to come in and to go again.

“To take the heat off Bo, and to share the workload.

“I felt he was a threat when we got the ball up to him in the first half and he was there in the box.

“I think Rabby (Nzingoula) should’ve score anyway, when he was running through, but Barney was there at the right time.”

Stewart was a £2million summer addition from Falkirk as Albion chiefs and Morrison tracked his progress from the new year and sealed his signature early in the summer.

This month marked two years since the London-born striker moved into the professional game from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, where he was playing amateur football.

As such Morrison and Albion coaches have been meticulous with their management and individual work with the rangy forward, keen to help ease his adjustment period to the English Championship.

Stewart - who netted three goals in two games for Scotland under-21s during the recent break - had 10 cameo appearances for Albion prior to first starts against Wrexham and Blackburn.

“Credit to Barney,” Morrison added. “Because he’s had to wait for his opportunity, but I felt he was still finding his feet.”