Albion have the chance to complete this live on TV a week today in their last fixture at the Hawthorns versus Southampton. 

Tony Mowbray handed a first start to Roman Bednar in three games, as he partnered Kevin Phillips in attack with Ishmael Miller dropped to the bench.  Mowbray had asked his men to make a fast start, and he couldn’t have hoped for a quicker one as his side found themselves a goal to the good after just 90 seconds.

A looping ball by James Morrison was collected neatly by Kevin Phillips, and he drove in a hard low right footed shot which Norwich keeper David Marshall failed to hold onto.  After a scuffle in which Shackell and Bednar both went for the loose ball the Canaries were clearly awaiting the refs whistle as Robert Koren collected the bobbling ball to slot home from 8 yards.

Albion were I n total control now, and Gera went close with a 12 yard shot after Phillips had battled hard in the middle of the park to dispossess Fotheringham.  Just two minutes later Albion could have recorded a second as Gera broke free, feeding Phillips who laid off a neat ball for Bednar who fired straight at the City keeper from 15 yards.

Norwich finally recorded a chance in the 8^th minute as the Albion bombardment eased off.  Huckerby fired in a cross that materialised more as a shot as it took Kiely to force the ball over the bar to prevent it reaching the target.  Kieran Gibbs saw a chance go begging to equalise in the 16^th minute, he couldn’t keep his header from Ostemobor’s cross low enough to find the target.

In the 22^nd minute a quick break from defence allowed Bednar to pick out Phillips in acres of space on the left side of the penalty area.  Phillips did well to power his way into the box, but his shot was uncontrolled and rebound off Doherty to hang in the air, but Morrison was ruled offside as he unleashed an acrobatic over head kick.

In the 32^nd minute another chance went begging for the Baggies as Bednar squared the ball across goal in a miscued shot just inches from the toes of Kevin Phillips, but the top scorer was ruled offside, much to the relief of the Canaries defence.  In the 41^st minute the Baggies felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Doherty handled Phillips’ pass.  But the ref deemed the hand ball to have been just outside of the box. 

The resulting free kick was fired in low and hard by Phillips, which Marshall did well to dive to his right to stop the ball on the line.  An error in judgement by Dean Kiely when throwing out to Gera allowed Camara to pick up the ball in first half injury time.  Camara fed through to Cureton who in turn found Gibbs who played in a delightful cross for Huckerby who just could not find the target.

Paul Robisnon may well have distracted Huckerby from getting away a decent shot on  goal with his last gasp challenge, but he cut his head in the process meaning he would spend the second half with a bandaged head.

Half Time: Norwich City 0-1 West Bromwich Albion

Robinson was a busy man after the restart, immediately Huckerby got the better of him down the right, and he cut back for Cureton to pull the trigger.  Luckily however Leon Barnett was on call to provide the block.  In the 48^th minute the Baggies defence were caught napping as Marshall pumped a long ball up the field to Cureton.  Albion were lucky to hold on to their lead as Kiely was stranded and Cureton’s effort looped inches over the bar.

At the other end Albion could and should have doubled their lead in the 50^th minute when Gera rattled the cross bar with a thunderous 20 yard effort which rebound onto the City keeper.  Quick reactions from Marshall however prevented the ball from crossing the line.

Eager to show that they were not down and out yet, Norwich tried their luck with a couple of very decent chances.  A left wing cross from Gibbs allowed Evans a free header, but he fired straight at Kiely in goal.  Moments later Kiely was tested again, Cureton’s header forcing him to dive low to his right.  Cureton should have equalised a minute later as he paced down Evan’s through ball, but somehow he placed his 15 yard volley well high and wide of the target.

Canaries boss must have thought there was something in this for his side as he made a substitution in the 63^rd minute, Dion Dublin coming on in the place of Jamie Cureton.  Mowbray himself made a double substitution moments later as Phillips and Bednar were replaced up front with Miller and Moore.   Within minutes Mowbray was making another change as Martin Albrechtsen returning fro injury came on for the war wounded Robinson.

It was some return for Albrechtsen as he made an immediate impact.  His 71^st minute diagonal free kick was headed down by Shackell straight into the path of Gera who sent a superb volley crashing into the net for Albion’s second.

At the other end Norwich finally found themselves a when the ref awarded a penalty for a hand ball by Leon Barnett in the box.  Evan’s converted the penalty to make it 2-1 and ensure a nervy end.  Albion thought they had scored a third in the 90^th minute when Miller netted a low cross from Morrison, but the former Manchester City mad was ruled offside and his effort cancelled out.

After 5 minutes of stoppage time Albion had finally secured the three points, along with their third successive away win.  That victory leaves West Brom needing just 1 more point to secure automatic promotion at the end of the season.

Full Time: Norwich City 1-2 West Bromwich Albion

Koren (2)

Gera (71)

Evans (73 pen)

Attendance: 25,442

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