Valerien Ismael paid tribute to the match-clinching impact of his substitutes as West Brom ran out 3-0 winners against Championship strugglers Peterborough at The Hawthorns.
Cedric Kipre, Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana all scored in the final 11 minutes of normal time to seal a convincing score-line which Posh boss Darren Ferguson felt flattered the hosts.
Diangana and Callum Robinson were introduced in the second half with Albion looking for a breakthrough against a defiant Peterborough resistance and the latter teed up Grant who handed the Baggies breathing space. Robinson provided again one minute from time to assist Diangana.
West Brom, who had scored four goals in their previous nine matches, were ultimately comfortable winners in a game which Ismael believed his side dominated.
“Until the first goal, it was the story of the season so far. As always with a good story, there was a happy ending. Hopefully we can now take the next step on Wednesday,” Ismael said.
“The game was how we expected, the opponent came, didn’t want to play, wasted time and tried to take time from the clock – they didn’t shoot once on target. You have to stay calm, to stay patient.
“We have to deal with these situations at the minute, to change the story, to force the ball over the line and that goal set the energy free and it was much easier for the players.
“We got impact from the bench again finally, with Robbo and especially Diangana. It’s helped me and my staff to make better decisions when we have all the players together and we have the possibility to change the way of the game from the bench.
“We just need to keep going, continue to win games and the next one is very important for us because it gives us the possibility to win again.”
Ferguson, who watched his side take a beating at the hands of Coventry last weekend, saw Peterborough crumble in the final throes at The Hawthorns after putting up a stubborn showing for the previous 75 minutes of the match.
He was left “massively disappointed” by the final score, adding that it wasn’t a true reflection of how the game played out.
“I can’t believe we lost that game 3-0. For so long, I just couldn’t see them scoring,” Ferguson argued. “Our shape was very good and then, all of a sudden, it was 3-0 in 10 minutes. So, I am massively disappointed.
“We didn’t look that threatening as we couldn’t get the first pass off, but we came to do a job and that was to frustrate them. They were booed off at half time, although I would have liked us to have been more threatening.
“The longer the game went, I thought we might create something on the counter attack, but it’s a really bad habit we have of conceding late goals so I’m not happy with that.
“The goal conceded was a naive way of playing. We were playing a quick free kick against the best pressing team in the league.
“We gave away too many passes but we conceded from a set piece and when you put that much hard work in, it’s a huge disappointment. It looks like we have been absolutely battered but we haven’t been.”
