Tony Mowbray has defended West Bromwich Albion's faltering home form and claimed his team do not have a problem playing at The Hawthorns despite winning just one of the last eight games they have played there.

While the side's results outside of the Black Country have improved dramatically, that sequence has ended their run for automatic promotion and has potentially jeopardised a play-off place, which looked a certainty at the start of February, as Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers have closed in.

But Mowbray claims he is not too concerned by 'statistics' instead he prefers to focus on the level of performances his men have turned in during that time.

The only problem, he concedes, is converting their undoubted superiority in recent matches with Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke, Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Sunderland, into goals.

He also makes the point that viewed as a season-long body of work, Albion's record over 22 games is pretty good.

"Results would suggest playing away is suiting us at the moment but I don't sit there and think 'Oh dear we've got to play at home'. That's not the scenario at all. We are doing OK at home we just haven't finished teams off," the manager said.

"We have been the dominant force in every game we have played at home this season, the only close one would have been Southampton when they had as much possession as we did.

"Apart from that, every football match we have dominated in terms of shots at goal and possession of the ball. I have got no fears about it.

"If I thought we were ultra-nervous, not performing, a bit afraid and teams were always looking like they were going to score goals against us, that would be different. But I don't thinks that been the case.

"I am not really interested in statistics, I am interested in the performance of the team and if you look at the record over the season our home form has not been too bad."

Indeed not. Albion have the fourth-best record of the teams currently occupying the top-six places and fifth in the entire division. They have taken 43 points at home compared to Birmingham's league-leading 47.

But as Mowbray admits where they have struggled in recent weeks is taking something tangible from their dominance.

Last Friday's loss to the Owls was a classic example and West Brom now lead seventh-placed Stoke by just two points.

"It's just about finishing teams off and being more clinical and having that cutting edge. When you are on top you have to score a goal to make sure you win," Mowbray said.

"We have missed opportunities of course, which would have us riding high at the top of this league, had we capitalised on our performances by picking up victories the picture would have looked a whole lot different."

The fact that it doesn't means Mowbray has been unable to enjoy his team's improvement on their travels. Albion spent the first half of the season struggling to win away and by January 1 had registered just two successes.

But since the New Year's Day defeat at Southend United they have won five of their last seven league matches away from The Hawthorns.

"It's quite a turnaround isn't it," said Mowbray, unable to enjoy the irony. "Our away form is now becoming acceptable for this division."

Their immediate prospects could be helped by the fact their next two fixtures are at Burnley and Coventry City, two sides with little to play for.

Albion complete their regular season programme on May 6 when Barnsley, who are fighting against relegation, visit the Midlands.

On a more positive note, Dutch striker Sherjill MacDonald has undergone a successful knee operation and could be available for the encounter at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday week. The 22-year-old, who is on loan from AGOW Apeldoorn, will remain with the club until next January after convincing Mowbray of his qualities.