West Brom's Aston lad Rekeem Harper ready for derby atmosphere in the play-offs

The Baggies are likely to meet rivals Villa in a two-legged semi-final in just under a fortnight and it would be an extra special game for Aston-lad Harper.

The 19-year-old thundered in his first goal for the Baggies on Saturday in a 2-1 win over Rotherham to give caretaker boss James Shan his fifth win in a row at The Hawthorns.

And he wants to build on that moment in the big fixtures coming up in May.

"We want to go into the play-offs with as much momentum as possible," said Harper. "I’m just glad we are doing that and we need to keep it going and to finish the season strongly.

"If we are drawn against Villa, it will be another derby. When we played against them earlier in the season, the atmosphere (at The Hawthorns) was incredible so it will be another great experience.

"I’ve got a lot of friends who are Villa fans. I went to school with a lot of them and myself and my family grew up in that area.

"If we play them, it will be a great game. I’m sure in the weeks building up my friends will mention it to me if it gets closer."

Harper hit the underside of the bar in the previous game against Reading, and has come close on other occasions this season, but on Saturday he caught this shot perfectly with his weaker left foot, arrowing it into the bottom corner.

"The ball just dropped down and I just thought 'why not take a shot like I have been recently’ and I caught it sweet and the keeper couldn’t save it," he smiled.

"It was one of those when you look up and think ‘yes that is going in’ and you get ready celebrate. It was a big moment for me.

"It’s a special moment. It’s one thing scoring away but if you score at home it’s a big moment, in front of my family as well, and with it helping the team to get the three points, it was even bigger for me.

"I’ve been hitting the bar in recent weeks and Matt Phillips keeps saying to me ‘keep trying, keep shooting’ and it came off."

Harper has now started four of the last five games under Shan, who was pleased to see the teenager finally get the goal he deserved.

"It was a fantastic strike," said the caretaker boss. "If you go back to the Reading game our best passage of play resulted in a Rekeem Harper effort from a similar distance that struck the crossbar.

"Rak could probably be sat there as the hero of West Brom with both winning goals.

"This time he’s copped it on his weak side and it’s a fantastic connection. He’s caught it clean and I’m absolutely delighted for the boy."