West Brom 1-1 Watford

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Daniele Dichio proved West Brom's saviour as he salvaged a point at The Hawthorns.

On-loan defender Wayne Brown had given Watford the lead seven minutes after the restart, firing the ball home right-footed from 20 yards following a Stephen Glass free-kick.

But Dichio equalised in the 77th minute when he headed home a cross by Neil Clement.

But with Manchester City winning just down the road at St Andrews it did little for West Brom's hopes of automatic promotion.

The game got off to a disappointingly quiet start. Watford's Alec Chamberlain was the first goalkeeper called into action when he held a 25-yard Adam Chambers shot after four minutes.

Dichio strikes

That proved the only action of note in the opening exchanges and it was not until 19 minutes had elapsed that Chamberlain had to exert himself again, this time clutching a 20-yard effort from Andy Johnson.

As Gianluca Vialli's Watford side started to show greater attacking potency, Neil Cox fired a free-kick over the crossbar and Brown found himself sailing close to the wind as he fouled Scott Dobie but escaped a second caution.

Five minutes into the second half, Chambers was shown the yellow card for complaining against the decision to penalise him for a foul on Robinson and West Brom were instantly punished further when Brown struck.

Gary Megson soon sent on Jordao and Bob Taylor in place of Chambers and Derek McInnes - who was back in the side after suspension - to try and get West Brom back on terms but his team continued to struggle.

Smith could have doubled Watford's lead after 63 minutes when he produced a left-foot shot from the edge of the area but it was held by Russell Hoult.

Then came Megson's last throw of the dice as he substituted defender Tony Butler for winger Ruel Fox and just when it looked as though the home side had run out of ideas, Dichio pounced.

The two goalscorers were in the thick of the action again four minutes from time as Brown blocked a Dichio shot, while Igor Balis sent a West Brom free-kick over the crossbar.

The result means Watford have now won only once in their last 13 matches.

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West Brom: Hoult, Sigurdsson, Butler, Gilchrist, Balis, Adam Chambers, McInnes, Johnson, Clement, Dobie, Dichio. Subs: Adamson, Lyttle, Fox, Taylor, Jordao.

Watford: Chamberlain, Cox, Galli, Brown, Robinson, Nielsen, Hyde, Hand, Glass, Smith, Gayle. Subs: Baardsen, Noel-Williams, Helguson, Fisken, Doyley.

Referee: R Harris (Oxford).