Baggies pile the pressure on Wolves

WEST BROM piled the pressure on Wolves in the fight for the second automatic promotion place in Division One with a trademark 1-0 win against Nottingham Forest on Friday night.

After the FA's decision to award the club three points after the 'Battle of Bramall Lane', The Baggies collected six points in two days thanks to veteran striker Bob Taylor.

Taylor showed all his experience to react first to score the 226th goal of his career and move Gary Megson's side to within five points of second place Wolves to heap more pressure on Dave Jones's men.

One moment of quality in the game, seven minutes from time at The City Ground, was enough to seal the match for the visitors as Paul Hart's young side became the 15th victim of a Baggies 1-0 special this season.

The home side opened in lively fashion with Hart's inexperienced side displaying the crisp passing style that Forest have become famous for.

Loan signing Adam Proudlock was looking to dent West Brom's promotion challenge and he had an early chance after a mistake in the visitor's penalty area gave Jack Lester the chance to find the Wolves man, but his attempted overhead kick sliced away from goal.

Marlon Harewood blazed a 30-year free kick over the bar, before Daniele Dichio stabbed wide after good cross from the right a minute later.

Eugen Bopp's 28th minute corner hit the outside of the post with Russell Hoult looking untroubled but nowhere near the ball.

Dichio had a good chance on 34 minutes when Jordao's free kick fell to him at the back post but he blazed the ball way over the bar.

Baggies keeper Hoult got lucky two minutes later when he hit is clearance straight at Proudlock as he was closing him down, but the ball spun away from goal to safety.

Harewood produced the best piece of skill a minute before the break when he turned Darren Moore with ease inside the box, then came inside Larus Sigurdsson but his left foot shot was saved comfortably by Hoult.

Five minutes after the interval Dichio broke free of the home defence but was brought down by Jon Olav Hjelde but, despite West Brom players looking for a penalty referee Alan Wiley gave a free kick that Igor Balis hit straight at the foot of the wall.

The best chance of the game came for the visitors in the 55th minute when Dichio flicked on Hoult's clearance for Scott Dobie who broke through the middle but fired wide.

Harewood had a golden opportunity in the 77th minute when Jack Lester sent him through but he dragged his shot wide.

Gary Megson's side then took the lead with seven minutes left to play thanks, once again, to the left boot of Neil Clement.

Clement proved how dangerous he is from set plays when he smashed his left-foot curler against the frame of the goal and veteran striker Taylor was first to react to nod the ball home from close range.

Megson's vice-like defence was never going to let the lead slip in the dying moments and they hung on to inch closer to Wolves and stay in the hunt for an automatic move into The Premiership.

Match Summary:
Nottingham Forest v West Brom

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