Portsmouth's Conor Chaplin celebrates his first league goal in 18 starts this seasonRex Features

Conor Chaplin's strike was his first league goal in 18 starts this season

Improving Portsmouth stretched their unbeaten run to four games as Conor Chaplin's opener teed up an emphatic victory against woeful fellow Championship strugglers West Bromwich Albion.

Chaplin swept home his first goal in 24 games since returning to the club on loan this season from Millenic Alli's smart pull-back from the left.

Alli also netted his first Pompey goal of the season - and for the club - when he slid the ball through keeper Max O'Leary's legs from Andre Dozzell's pass for a 2-0 interval lead.

The Baggies played like a side resigned to a fifth defeat in six, lacking confidence, intensity and any goal threat, with just one lame off-target attempt in the first half.

Portsmouth had no trouble completing the job in front of an increasingly relaxed Fratton Park crowd with Ebou Adams also on target as they moved up to 20th, four points clear of the relegation zone.

They leapfrog the Baggies, who slip to 21st, just three points above the bottom three, having played a game more than all of the sides below them.

But as much as the hosts impressed in a busy performance - full of pace, movement and intent - West Brom were abysmal, showing just why they had lost 10 in a row away from home before last week's last-gasp draw against Derby County.

Chaplin could have made it 1-0 inside two minutes with a flicked effort that went wide at the near post and he also went close with a drilled strike across goal before calmly slotting Pompey ahead from Alli's measured pass.

Alli's equally cool one-on-one finish rewarded continued attacking purpose and pressure, while Terry Devlin and Adrian Segecic also had chances to add to the advantage.

Adams did increase the advantage within four minutes of the restart, firing home from Chaplin's cushioned volley to as good as seal victory and further demoralise a West Brom side who have now already lost 12 matches away from home this term.

Mikey Johnston did manage an attempt on target for the Baggies - their only one of the game - when his curling long-range strike was well tipped over by Pompey keeper Nicolas Schmid.

But Portsmouth remained in full control and could have easily added to their lead, with the only blemish an ankle injury suffered by Colby Bishop in the second half.

'We have to address some of the basics' - reaction

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent:

"It was the best performance of the season and an important result. I was really impressed with the first half. The second half was a different display but it was really professional.

"From the first minute we pinned them in and won the physical duels.

"The energy and quality was there. And putting those two together is something we have struggled with this season.

"The big thing that has been missing is putting the ball in the back of the net and getting into the final third and creating a bit more. But today we were relentless in terms of getting into the final third and creating chances."

John Mousinho: 'It was a professional display'

West Brom boss Eric Ramsay told BBC WM:

"It was tough. We have to own the performance, take accountability and look inward as individuals and as a collective. And we have to get better.

"I am concerned we didn't handle what was an inevitable quick start - a team that really draws on the crowd. We set up in a way trying not to feed that momentum but we did the opposite and it affected the players and we need to deal with it better.

"I am disappointed we haven't been able to move the group forward in the short space of time I have been here.

"There were some fundamentals missing for the first half that start to lead to the performance feeling short and that contributes to the levels of confidence. We have to address some of the basics in terms of competition of the second balls and that, as we regain possession, we are neat and tidy."

Ramsay: 'There's some fundamentals we're missing'

Player of the match

M. Alli
8.78
27 M. Alli
8.78
38 E. Adams
8.76
36 C. Chaplin
8.61
3 C. Ogilvie
8.17
24 T. Devlin
8.09
5 R. Poole
7.88
22 Z. Swanson
7.76
21 A. Dozzell
7.69
1 N. Schmid
7.67
10 A. Segečić
7.64
9 C. Bishop
7.46
7 M. Pack
7.13
37 K. Anderson
7.06
8 J. Swift
6.98
25 M. Kirk
6.91
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