West Brom 0 Ipswich 0: Baggies seal Championship SAFETY despite points deduction

Albion claimed the point required in their final home clash to secure Championship safety despite Friday’s two-point deduction.

Heroic boss James Morrison sealed the deal in the goalless stalemate against promotion-chasing Ipswich.

The Baggies made it 10 matches unbeaten to complete the job in the final home fixture at the end of The Hawthorns’ 125th anniversary campaign.

Albion were well worthy of their share of the spoils against the Suffolk visitors, who climbed back into second.

The Baggies might have completed the job last time out on Tuesday but a two-day hearing this week decided on profit and sustainability guilt and Morrison’s men were deducted two points to leave the fate uncertain.

But the club vowed in the statement the job will be completed “on the pitch” and they did just that with another fine display against strong opposition.

Albion can now look forward to another season in the Championship, where surely heroic boss Morrison has done everything possible to land the head coach role on a full-time basis?

The head coach led his beloved Baggies to safety from a stunning run of five successive clean sheets. Albion had played almost 500 minutes of action since Wrexham were the last side to breach the rearguard. It is a run of seven clean sheets in eight in all.

The atmosphere had reached boiling point ahead of kick-off to match the glorious atmosphere and backdrop at a resplendent Hawthorns.

A booming rendition of The Liquidator was followed by a volley of verbal abuse aimed at the EFL following Friday’s outcome to the two-day hearing.

With Morrison’s motivation ringing in their ears Albion stormed out of the traps as the recalled Aune Heggebo, Daryl Dike and Jayson Molumby pressed into the away red shirts.

Three of Ipswich’s back four were ex-Albion and centre-back pairing Dara O’Shea and Cedric Kipre had one or two wobbles in possession early on with jeers from the Smethwick End.

Current Baggies defender Nat Phillips seemed determined to win the game on his own in the first period.

He headed at Christian Walton with the contest’s first opening before another flew over. Later in the first period Phillips drew another save from Walton with a header from 12-yard after a move with the lively Danny Imray, started by the centre-back.

Ipswich gradually settled but the hosts were solid as George Campbell and Phillips complemented each other to recover well on occasion.

The Baggies might have had found a lead midway through the first half through Dike’s glorious opening.

The frontman worked the chance himself. He hassled and harried former colleague Kipre, who waited for Walton who never came. Dike was in on goal, in the box, slightly left, but denied by the sprawling goalkeeper.

Ipswich’s best moment of the first half came through isolated Spanish striker Ivan Azon, who got behind Campbell but his attempted lob over the stranded Max O’Leary didn’t even reach the far corner flag.

There was a lull for 10 after half hour, in which Ipswich’s Azon helped a long way over on the stretch.

But the Baggies clicked back into gear and by the end of the half did not want the interval.

Heggebo skewed inches wide of the post post with his left foot on the spin while backpedaling. It was an awkward chance but a clear one. The ball spun six inches off target.

Baggies kept coming and skipper Alex Mowatt was denied by Walton to the keeper’s right after a neat give-and-go on the edge of the box.

If half-time threatened to ruin momentum the hosts needn’t have worried.

Heggebo glanced a good header narrowly wide of the upright from an Isaac Price corner shortly after the restart.

Morrison’s men purred, particularly down the right through livewire loanee Imray, and his low cross fed Dike for a glorious opening.

From the penalty spot, the American’s first-time strike pawed after by the busy Walton.

McKenna’s men responded. A long Furlong throw-in brought back memories, and Ipswich helped it on in a crowded box, for the tricky Jack Clarke to totally miscue from the corner of the six-yard box.

Clarke had a better go after the hour after a sharp run, but sliced wide of the post. A short while after Furlong worked space on the right of the box but O’Leary held his low strike.

A flashpoint arrived with 20 minutes left as, for a split second, Ipswich thought they led through Kipre.

Substitute Jayden Philogene’s strike from 25 yards was spilled loosely by O’Leary and Kipre turned home. The assistant’s flag was raised immediately and, as replays confirmed, correctly.

Ipswich had come on strong, as might’ve been expected. O’Shea failed to turn home a free-kick with 10 minutes left as Phillips made yet another clearance. The Tractor Boys forced several corners but were wasteful, typified by Philogene rifling over from 18 yards.

Albion supporters had bitten fingernails but raised decibel levels again in the closing stages as the finish line closed in.

The job was complete after five uneventful minutes of stoppage time as a loud roar of relief filled the Black Country sky.

Albion (4-4-2): O'Leary; Imray, Phillips, Campbell, Styles; Molumby, Mowatt (c) (Grant, 80), Diakite, Price; Dike (Maja, 71), Heggebo (Bany, 88)

Subs not used: Griffiths (gk), Gilchrist, Taylor, Jimoh-Aloba, Bostock, Bany, Grant, Maja, Sule.

Ipswich (4-2-3-1): Walton; Furlong, O’Shea (c), Kipre, Greaves; Matusiwa, Taylor; McAteer (Burns, 75), Mehmeti (Nunez, 65), Clarke (Philogene, 65); Azon (Hirst, 75)

Subs not used: Palmer (gk), Neil, Cajuste, Johnson, Akpom

Referee: Matthew Donohue