Preston 0 West Brom 2: Maja and Dike on target as Baggies respond from uncertainty to go five clear

Albion issued a statement victory in the race for survival as they responded from the uncertainty of a financial charge to win at Preston and roar five points clear.

Josh Maja buried an early opener before substitute Daryl Dike netted his first goal in almost 12 months to secure a dominant 2-0 victory at Deepdale.

James Morrison’s Baggies showed admirable resilience and guts with a powerful display full of belief and confidence in front of a boisterous 4,000 away following.

It could have been more in a one-sided first period against the limited mid-table hosts. Maja converted a stunning team move.

Preston showed signs of life after the break but Max O’Leary was not overly stretched. It took until 13 minutes from time for Dike to make things safe with a second as he rifled into the roof of the net in front of the away end to an emotional reaction for all involved. There could not be a more popular scorer.

The away sang themselves hoarse all afternoon, with no shortage of ire directed the way of the English Football League after news this week of the financial fair play charge hanging over Albion. The Baggies protest their innocence and it is a charge set to be heard this month, tantalisingly close to the final day with sanctions a possibility.

Fear grew and grew all week but Morrison and his players did their talking on the pitch, where points mattered more than ever.

Goal hero Dike and Morrison gave real feelings in their salutes and first-pumps to the away end at full-time. Albion, who host Watford on Tuesday, are determined to get safety secured on their own terms.

Boss Morrison had once again called for some quality and composure in the final third to make the difference and turn draws into wins.

Dike, Aune Heggebo and Jayson Molumby had all been unable to convert gilt-edged chances in the successive wins.

Morrison’s words must have been ringing in the ears of his attackers a little over 10 minutes after a low-key start at Deepdale.

The hosts had already been worried as Nat Phillips’ downward header at the back post from a Callum Styles corner was cleared just in front of the goalline.

The early opener proved a wonderful move bursting with quality.

Skipper Alex Mowatt won possession and the move owed much to the technical class of Isaac Price.

He darted forward from midway through Preston’s half and jinked stylishly through a couple of challenges.

Price gave a one-two with Maja before he found Heggebo. The Norwegian intelligently flicked on to his forward colleague Maja inside the box.

Maja took a touch and kept his cool to slot into the bottom right corner beyond Daniel Iversen with confidence from 10 yards as the away end exploded.

Preston woes were condemned as skipper Ben Whiteman limped off injured. Alfie Devine struggled soon after but limped on with a lack of suitable alternatives.

Albion controlled things and swarmed all over the hosts in midfield with Molumby, from a right-sided role again, adding an extra body when needed, with Price doing similar from the left.

More superb work from Price almost led to a second as his sumptuous low cross was another toe-length from Maja converting.

Preston sent a note of warning as Devine skimmed a big headed chance wide from Andrew Hughes’ cross after half hour.

Callum Styles tried to sneakily make it two with a near post corner that Preston were alive to.

Brad Potts defended excellently to deny Price a clear strike after fine work from Molumby on the right.

Albion almost carved out a glorious second a few minutes before the interval.

It started as Phillips mopped up at the back and O’Leary’s clearances towards Mowatt in his own half.

The skipper was high on confidence and his first touch was a thing of beauty to turn a hapless marker.

Albion worked it forward and the move ended with a Mowatt lofted ball from the left towards Maja as space opened up for the frontman on the edge of the box.

An edgy Iversen was stranded and Maja’s intelligent first-time lob on the stretch beat the Scandinavian keeper but landed a yard wide of the far post.

The thought process at the interval was that Paul Heckingbottom’s men would go some to be as bad in the second half.

Though the hosts tested that theory as within moments of the restart Iversen’s pass out from his own goal kick caught Lewis Gibson off guard, hit the defender’s back and flew wide. It could’ve gone anywhere.

Preston clicked into gear though. A long throw-in caused all sorts of problems as Daniel Jebbison had a sniff alongside colleagues, with the Baggies at sea and unable to clear. At one point Ousmane Diakite nodded almost out of O’Leary’s grasp.

The Baggies survived but O’Leary was forced into a first save as he tipped wing-back Brad Potts’ header over.

Morrison’s men hit back after the hour as the excellent Styles almost forced an Andrew Hughes own goal with a fierce low cross.

With the deficit just one there was little evidence from Preston to suggest the Baggies should be too worried.

Morrison went with his first change as he introduced Dike for Heggebo. The fans responded with their usual “if Dike scores, we’re on the pitch.”

That vow would be put to the test some seven minutes later.

Molumby was sent into the box on the right side after decent work from the dangerous Danny Imray.

The Irishman made up ground to near the byline and his low ball into the box turned out to be perfect.

It missed Maja but there, all alone, was the giant figure of Dike to hammer into the roof of the net. The unstoppable missile arrowed past Iversen.

There is simply no more popular Albion goalscorer and the roar and let out of emotion among the goalscorer, team-mates and supporters behind the goal was immense.

There was a real feeling of job done with the second and Preston knew it too, albeit there was time

“Oles” from the away end emerged as their side passed their way to stoppage time. There was the welcome return of Karlan Grant from the bench and exposure for young Ollie Bostock.

Albion fans heralded boss Morrison and further directed ire at the EFL on an afternoon where, regardless of potential sanctions, the Baggies made a big step in the survival hunt.

Preston (3-5-2): Iversen; Offiah, Storey, Gibson; Potts (Smith, 72), Whiteman (c) (Thompson, 14), Devine, Moran (Small, 45), Hughes; Dobbin, Jebbison (Osmajic, 61)

Subs not used: Cornell (gk), Valentin, Vukcevic, Lindsay, Lukovic

Albion (4-4-2): O'Leary; Imray, Phillips, Campbell, Styles; Molumby, Mowatt (c), Diakite, Price (Bostock, 90+1); Heggebo (Dike, 70), Maja (Grant, 86).

Subs not used: Griffiths (gk), Gilchrist, Taylor, Mepham, Bany, Sule

Attendance: 17,996 (3,952 Albion fans)

Referee: Josh Smith