FORMER Ipswich captain and coach Tony Mowbray will tonight try to succeed where ex-Town boss George Burley narrowly failed and book a place in the Championship play-off final.

By Mel Henderson

FORMER Ipswich captain and coach Tony Mowbray will tonight try to succeed where ex-Town boss George Burley narrowly failed and book a place in the Championship play-off final.

While Burley and his Southampton team were pipped on penalties at Derby, Mowbray's West Bromwich Albion hold a 3-2 lead going into this evening's second leg against Wolves at The Hawthorns.

A return to the new Wembley for the May 28 final would evoke memories of how he booked his place in Ipswich folklore seven years ago when he netted Town's first goal in the 4-2 win over Barnsley at the grand old stadium.

Whoever triumphs tonight will meet Derby with a passport into the richest-ever Premiership the prize for victory.

Membership of the top flight is worth a minimum £60 million even if the new boys finish bottom next season.

But first Albion must overcome their Black Country rivals in what promises to be another ding-dong affair to rival last night's dramatic clash across the Midlands.

Mowbray, assistant Mark Venus, another former Ipswich favourite, and the Wolves management team of Mick McCarthy and Ian Evans, all took in the game to cast their eye over possible Wembley opponents.

Baggies boss Mowbray, whose side have scored 99 goals this season, sees little merit in adopting a defensive mindset for tonight's second leg. He said: “The game is a one-off occasion and so we will go out to try to win. It is not really in our make-up to try to defend what we have already got and I do not think it is right we do.

“We have got to attack the opposition like we always do. We are capable of scoring goals and if we score tonight, Wolves will have a mountain to climb.

“Wolves will be very motivated so we have to be wary of them, but hopefully they will leave us spaces to exploit. At critical moments we have players able to swing a game.”

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy plans to grasp an early initiative. He said: “We have to go to West Brom and win - there is no point dressing it up in any other way.

“If we get off to a good start, then quite clearly it will affect them. It is important we try to start the Hawthorns game the same as we did the match at Molineux - and I am sure West Brom will start at a high tempo as well.”