Stevenage 2-0 West Brom - Report

An own-goal from Dara O'Shea as well as an Elliott List strike saw Steve Evans' side run out 2-0 winners at Broadhall Stadium.

The Baggies beat Leyton Orient in a pre-season friendly in Portugal on Monday.

And they initially started well against the Boro with Steve Bruce's side failing to take a number of first-half oppertunites.

After the interval, though, they struggled to find any real spark.

And the hosts grew in stature and went on to win it with two late goals.

REPORT

Albion lined-up in a 4-4-2 and then a 4-3-3 formation when they took on Leyton Orient in Portugal.

But they opted for a 4-2-3-1 system at Broadhall Way with John Swift pushed further forward into a number 10 role.

Matt Phillips started on the right flank with Grady Diangana on the left and Karlan Grant up front.

Jayson Molumby and Alex Mowatt were the midfield two.

In what was a bright start from Steve Bruce's side, the Baggies created four decent chances to open the scoring inside the first 20 minutes.

Their first opportunity arrived with a corner routine straight from the training ground with Swift picking out Diangana with a clever low ball.

First-time, he then hit a low strike towards goal that Taye Ashby-Hammond did well to claim.

Just minutes later, it was Swift going close with the former Chelsea man cutting in from the left flank before curling a strike agonizingly wide.

With the home crowd behind them, Stevenage's players were showing bundles of endeavor as they tried to go toe-to-toe with their Championship rivals.

But Albion's quality ensured they kept creating chances.

A poor back pass from Carl Piergianni saw Grant latch onto the ball in the box but instead of shooting - he tried to beat one last defender.

That man was Terence Vancooten who did just enough to get a touch on the ball which saw it roll through to the keeper.

Then just moments later, Diangana whipped in a dangerous cross that a stretching Swift guided into the arms of Ashby-Hammond.

At that point, it felt as though it was only a matter of time before Albion would break the deadlock.

But following a drinks break, the game quietened down.

Just before the break, though, the Baggies were presented with a glorious chance when Phillips sent in a cross which Ashby-Hammond dropped.

That mistake looked to have presented Diangana with a simple side-foot finish into the net.

The keeper, though, atoned for his error by brilliantly flinging himself in front of the ball and somehow keeping it out.

Albion made just one change at the break with Alex Palmer replacing David Button in goal.

Following what had been a quiet and uneventful start to the second-half, Bruce made a double change in the 65th minute with Daryl Dike and Jed Wallace replacing Grant and Darnell Furlong.

That change saw Phillips move to right-back with Wallace ahead of him.

The hosts had a decent chance to open the scoring just minutes later when Elliott List found Luke Norris in the box.

He then tried to curl a strike into the corner but instead fired straight at Palmer in the Albion goal.

Bruce continued to make changes with Adam Reach, Callum Robinson and Kenneth Zohore then replacing Diangana, Alex Mowatt and Swift in a move that saw Albion switch to a 4-4-2 formation.

But Stevenage then got themselves ahead when Jake Taylor hit the byline and cut it back for Norris whose effort took a big deflection off Dara O'Shea before flying in.

Stevenage suddenly looked dangerous with Jake Reeves' reverse pass finding Jake Taylor who saw a low drive tipped away by Palmer.

Seconds later, though, the hosts did have a second when Arthur Read's corner was headed back into the danger area by Carl Piergianni.

And that knock-down was pounced on by List who slammed the ball into the back of the net from six-yards.

initiallyAlbion: Button (Palmer 46), Furlong (Wallace 65), Kipre, O'Shea, Townsend, Molumby, Mowatt (Robinson 68), Swift (Zohore 71), Diangana (Reach 68), Phillips (Gardner-Hickman 80), Grant (Dike 65).

Subs not used: Ajayi, Ashworth, Taylor, Livermore.