James Morrison proud as West Brom reach points target in safety objective

James Morrison declared his joy as Albion hit the points target the boss hopes will keep the club in the Championship.

The Baggies’ phenomenal rise from a position of doom in the second-tier continued as they cantered to a 3-0 victory against Watford at The Hawthorns.

The result, to go an incredible nine games unbeaten, means Albion are eight points clear of the relegation places with just six points left to play for - but Championship safety cannot be definitively marked due to an EFL charge for a breach in PSR rules hanging over the club.

A haul of four wins and five draws has lifted the Baggies to 52 points and 18th and in doing so Morrison revealed eclipsed the target he set out for his troops when given the role until the end of the season back in early March.

Morrison said: “There are two big occasions (remaining). We set our goals from when I took over and it was an opportunity to reach that tonight.

“Statistically in the Championship 50 or 51 points keeps you safe. That was our aim tonight and we started that journey way back when I took over.

“It was tonight to reach that final journey. We want to keep this feeling because it's nice.

“We all came together after Oxford and set some targets with what we wanted to reach.”

Albion were too strong for mid-table Watford to build on Saturday’s victory at Preston.

Isaac Price and Daryl Dike netted in the first half and Danny Imray added a third with his first Baggies goal.

The win would normally have the Baggies home and hosed but for the unknown of an independent commission hearing. The timeframe is unclear but the club maintain they have not breached PSR regulations. Any potential sanction is expected to be minor.

It meant, despite the table’s outlook with relegated Leicester beaten as well as rivals Oxford and Portsmouth, Albion could not definitively toast their achievement.

“I really don't know,” Morrison said of the situation. “I've been concentrating on the football. Yes, it's a strange situation but I'll just keep trying to do my job on the football pitch and that's all I can control.

“We used it to galvanise us again. We had a little chat about it and that was it. Then we moved on to business.

“We're all about winning and we've won a game tonight so we're going to enjoy that moment. I'm not going to think about anything else. We're going to enjoy this win.

“I want them to enjoy it. It's been tough so we're going to enjoy this.”

Asked if it was a case of job done after the win, he replied: “Not for me, no.

“I want the players to continue playing the way they're playing because there's a good feeling about it.

“And as professionals we've got a job to do and my job will be keeping on top of the players and make sure that we finish the season well. “

Ed Still’s out-of-form Watford proved handy guests for the Baggies and were never in the contest once a crouching Dike’s headed home for a second goal five minutes before half-time.

“I might be wrong here, but it was a bit flat at times, but we found a way to win,” he added.

“When we stuck to the game plan, we really hurt them.

“We wanted to attack down the sides, but to do that we needed to be in good structure. We showed what we talked about, making a third player at the back so the full-backs could push on and our pocket players could run from there.

“That's where the goals come from. I'm delighted for the lads who scored.”