Match Reports

Portsmouth 0-3 Albion

An image of Josh Maja celebrating his goal against Portsmouth

Albion earned a brilliant 3-0 win against Portsmouth in an entertaining encounter on Sunday afternoon.

A Josh Maja first-half strike and an Alex Mowatt brace gave them all three points, extending the Baggies’ unbeaten start to the Sky Bet Championship season.

They are next in action again this Saturday, hosting Plymouth Argyle at The Hawthorns.

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An image of Albion players celebaring Josh Maja's goal against Portsmouth

Following a two-week break, the head coach named an unchanged XI for the fifth consecutive league match, though did bring deadline day signings Mason Holgate and Mikey Johnston onto the bench.

And his team got off to a flying start - netting 53 seconds in when Tom Fellows cut a perfect pass back to Maja, who finished emphatically in front of the 2,159 travelling Baggies fans.

An image of Josh Maja scoring against Portsmouth

Fellows then nearly turned scorer, side-footing just wide, before Pompey had a good spell, wasting a few openings after dispossessing the visitors high up.

Albion were still causing problems, especially on the counter-attack, and went close through Karlan Grant’s powerful effort - which was tipped over - as well as Maja’s blocked shot.

The Baggies’ best chance to double their lead came 10 minutes before the break, Maja nodding a Fellows cross towards goal only to see goalkeeper Will Norris somehow claw it off the line.

Grant headed one over, too, as did Portsmouth’s Connor Ogilvie, yet neither team managed to score and Corberán’s men took a narrow lead into half-time.

An image of Josh Maja's header being saved against Portsmouth

But within six minutes of the restart Albion got a second. Slick play in the middle eventually enabled Mowatt to pick the ball up outside the box and curl a magnificent strike home, grabbing his first goal since May.

An image of Alex Mowatt celebrating with his teammates after scoring against Portsmouth

In the main the game was much quieter during the second period, apart from a rapturous ovation from the travelling supporters as Johnston made his (second) debut towards the end. 

There was still time for Mowatt to nab a second in added time via a pinpoint free-kick to cap a super showing on the south coast.

The result, combined with others across the Championship this weekend, means Albion sit top of the table at this very early stage of the season.

Albion: Palmer; Furlong, Bartley, Ajayi, Heggem; Molumby (Racic 67), Mowatt; Fellows (Walalce 67), Swift (Diangana 67), Grant (Johnston 80); Maja (Dobbin 80).

Substitutes: Wildsmith, Holgate, Frabotta, Diakite.