West Brom boss Moore hails Gayle

Posted Sunday, September 23, 2018 by PA

West Brom manager Darren Moore hopes that Dwight Gayle can stay on the goal trail after his latest strike in their 2-0 Sky Bet Championship win against Millwall.

Gayle’s fifth goal of the season, and his fourth in four games, put Albion on their way to a sixth successive home win in the 68th minute.

Kieran Gibbs clinched the victory eight minutes later, which moved Moore’s side into third place and only a point off the top of the table.

Gayle has really hit the ground running after his arrival on a season-long loan from Newcastle and Moore said: “Dwight with his goalscoring prowess puts the ball in the back of the net and it opens up the game.

“Dwight’s goalscoring record speaks for itself. He is a goalscorer and I think that was his fifth goal eight games.

“For him and for us we are delighted but his contribution to the team is not only about scoring goals.

“Dwight’s contribution is valuable. They are all special cogs and he is one of them as well. So I am really pleased.”

Albion were not at their best in first-half and Moore added: “I thought it was a tough game all round. Millwall were very strong and I thought that today we found a way to beat a very strong and resolute rearguard.

“We kept probing and we kept asking questions and we found the goal to break the deadlock.

“The clean sheet was the icing on the cake in terms of three valuable points.

“It is so pleasing as a head coach when you see the players trying to work and doing what you ask them to do and they get their just rewards.

“We will keep trying to build on it.

“This is a tough league in many ways and it asks so many questions.

“That is why people say it is one of the hardest and most exciting leagues.”

While Albion are challenging at the top of the table, struggling Millwall have now collected a solitary point from their last six games and have dropped into the bottom three.

But manager Neil Harris is confident that they can end their slump.

He said: “First and foremost of course I am disappointed with the result.

“But when we are so good as we were at times in the first-half we have to be clinical and we had three good chances to score.

“At the other end when things aren’t going for you, it really kicks you.

“I am pleased with the players today because QPR the other night was not good enough in the first-half.

“We have had to many poor halves in the first nine games but today I saw the character and belief in the team to know that once we get the first bit of luck or performance that gets us the win there will be more to come.

“In the first hour today you could see that it is all still there.

“We need to be that little bit more clinical and have that belief in the final third.”

Millwall were backed by a vociferous army of fans and Harris added: “We are in the worst run since I have been in charge and the support they showed me and the players was top draw.”