Baggies back in big time

West Brom goalscorer Darren Moore was outstanding

West Brom 2-0 Crystal Palace

Photo Gallery: West Brom's promotion party

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West Bromwich Albion beat Crystal Palace in front of a delirious crowd at The Hawthorns to ensure their return to the top flight.

Wolves' 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday meant a draw would have been good enough for the Baggies to earn promotion to the Premiership.

But Gary Megson's side turned in a typically disciplined and determined performance to win and make Wolves' result irrelevant.

Key incidents

3 mins: West Brom keeper Hoult makes a brilliant save from Granville.

17 mins: Moore scores to ease the home crowd's nerves.

54 mins: Taylor fires home to put the Baggies in control.

Central defender Darren Moore and veteran striker Bob Taylor scored the goals that earned victory for the Baggies, yet it was West Brom's defence that again stole the show.

The Baggies have the best defensive record in Division One and repelled everything the Palace attack could throw at them.

The central defensive trio of Moore, Phil Gilchrist and Larus Sigurdsson were outstanding, while wing-backs Neil Clement and Igor Balis provided many of their side's best attacking moments.

The home side made a nervous start though, and Russell Hoult was forced to make a splendid save from Palace defender Danny Granville early on.

Taylor, preferred in attack to Scott Dobie, provided many of his side's best moments in the first half, and went close with an opportunistic shot from 20 yards.

I don't score many but thank the Lord I did today because it settled us down

Veteran Baggies striker Bob Taylor

Moore then scored to calm the nerves at a tense Hawthorns. Derek McInnes sent in an excellent free-kick from the right and Palace defender Aki Riihilahti headed back across the face of his own goal.

Moore was on hand to side-foot the easiest of goals from six yards.

West Brom then sat deep, confident that a defence that had not conceded more than one goal in 22 games could hold out.

The confidence was well-founded. Granville went close with another 20-yard shot, but Palace created little for the rest of the game.

The Baggies scored their second soon after the interval to practically put the result beyond doubt.

Clement, who has attracted the attention of a number of Premiership clubs, fired in a low 20-yard free-kick.

Alex Kolinko should have saved comfortably, but spilled the ball, allowing the alert Taylor to fire home right-footed.

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West Brom: Hoult, Gilchrist, Moore, Sigurdsson, Clement, McInnes, Johnson (Jordao 73), Balis, Adam Chambers, Taylor (Dobie 66), Dichio (Fox 90).
Subs Not Used: Petterson, Cummings.

Crystal Palace: Kolinko, Austin, Popovic, Granville, Rodger (Rubins 57), Mullins, Riihilahti (Kirovski 67), Hopkin, Fleming, Morrison, Akinbiyi (Black 47).
Subs Not Used: Carasso, Berhalter.

Booked: Mullins.

Attendance: 26,712

Referee: E Wolstenholme (Blackburn).