West Brom 1-0 Norwich

Dichio on target for West Brom

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A powerful header from striker Danny Dichio earned West Brom a fifth successive victory in their determined bid to stay in the race for automatic promotion.

The £1.25m forward - on target for only the third time in 15 games - secured the points at the Hawthorns with his all-important 41st-minute strike.

Neil Clement chipped a perfect left-wing cross into the heart of the Norwich defence where Dichio rose superbly to guide the ball past goalkeeper Robert Green.

But it should have been a different story with Norwich striker David Nielsen squandering two marvellous chances of giving them a comfortable lead.

Paul McVeigh slipped a fine pass to Nielsen in the 14th minute only for the striker to blast his shot wide of the far post when it looked easier to score.

Then in the 20th minute Nielsen was completely unmarked with the Albion goal at his mercy.

But he took too long, and, in the end, his shot flew straight into the arms of keeper Russell Hoult.

Hoult busy

Gary Megson's high-flying Albion have now not conceded a league goal for 631 minutes and they have clocked up 12 1-0 victories this term.

Albion who moved back into third spot in the table came close to increasing their advantage in the 53rd minute when Green did well to dive and keep out a 30-yard free-kick from the hard-working Clement.

Then, in the 76th minute Green rejoined the action when he dived to scramble away a shot from the unmarked Jason Roberts after he had been sent breaking away by defender Igor Balis.

But City, now with just one win to their credit in eight games, also posed problems for the Albion defence.

Keeper Hoult, who has now kept 18 clean sheets this season, had to dive smartly to keep out a 79th-minute shot from Mark Rivers.

Then, moments later with Hoult caught out of position, Larus Sigurdsson was perfectly placed to boot away a goalbound header from Malky Mackay.

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West Brom: Hoult, Sigurdsson, Moore, Gilchrist, Balis, Adam Chambers, McInnes, Johnson, Clement, Roberts, Dichio. Subs: Jensen, Lyttle, Fox, Dobie, Jordao.

Norwich: Green, Nedergaard, Fleming, Mackay, Kenton, Andy Roberts, Holt, Mulryne, McVeigh, Nielsen, Benjamin. Subs: Crichton, McGovern, Notman, Sutch, Rivers.

Referee: P Taylor (Cheshunt).