West Brom through to Championship final

West Brom 1 Wolves 0

Striker Kevin Phillips scored West Brom’s 100th goal of the season to earn the hosts a 1-0 victory over Wolves at The Hawthorns and propel Albion into the Championship play-off final.

The Baggies ensured their Wembley showdown with Derby on Monday, May 28, after beating their Black Country neighbours 4-2 on aggregate, following Sunday’s 3-2 first-leg victory at Molineux.

Phillips second-half strike was his 22nd goal of the season and Albion’s 100th in all competitions during 2006-07.

Wolves started with four corners in as many minutes but the Baggies launched the evening’s first attack of note as Jason Koumas supplied a cross for Phillips - but the former Sunderland and Southampton striker was fractionally late meeting inside the six-yard box.

Next, Gera put Robert Koren through in the right channel, but Hennessey was quickly off his line to save at the feet of the midfielder.

West Brom were opened up in the ninth minute, though Andy Keogh could only blaze well over goalkeeper Dean Kiely’s crossbar after being set free by Seyi George Olofinjana.

Then, in the 12th minute, Koumas and Diomansy Kamara’s one-two unlocked Wolves along their left wing but once the centre had arrived, Gera was unable to make the most of his opportunity from close range.

Jay Bothroyd tested Kiely from close range, before toppling over advertising hoardings behind the Albion goal, although the Wolves man was soon back in action.

Phillips’ glancing header fizzed narrowly wide of goal at the other end in the 22nd minute, and the hosts threatened further when fellow striker Kamara rippled the sidenetting from close range, then Gera blazed wide.

Five minutes into the second half Koumas, in a central position, jinked past a challenge but fired over the crossbar of Hennessey, who helped Stockport to a club-record nine consecutive clean sheets while on loan at Edgeley Park earlier in the season.

Just short of the hour, Jonathan Greening and Koren worked space behind Wolves left-back Jackie McNamara and with the Scotsman floundering, Koren flashed his centre across goal, but Kamara failed to apply a telling touch.

Hennessey dived to his right to pluck Kamara’s curling effort in the 62nd minute, but three

minutes later the deadlock was broken when Koren crossed from the Albion left and Phillips rose unmarked to head home.

Moments later though, on-loan Reading defender Sam Sodje’s mishit backpass left Kiely stranded but the Nigerian scampered back to prevent an own goal by a matter of inches.

Hennessey’s heroics denied Koren at point-blank range, while at the other end Bothroyd failed to capitalise on a high-bouncing opportunity to square affairs on the night when he hooked over the bar with 10 minutes remaining.