West Brom knock Watford off top spot
LONDON: West Bromwich knocked Watford off the top of the English Championship with a 4-1 win over Bristol City on Wednesday.
Tony Mowbray's side are in pole position because of their superior goal difference and it was easy to see why against promotion rivals City at the Hawthorns.
Meanwhile, Watford's woes continued as they were held to a disappointing 2-2 home draw by Cardiff.
Albion ran riot in the second half after taking the lead in the 47th minute when Roman Bednar claimed his sixth goal in eight games.
Robert Koren doubled Albion's lead in the 67th minute with a powerful drive before two goals in four minutes from Kevin Phillips. City's late reply from Darren Byfield was little consolation.
Watford needed a last-minute goal from Jobi McAnuff to salvage a point against Cardiff.
Adrian Boothroyd's side fell behind in the 34th minute as Roger Johnson headed in Gavin Rae's cross. American defender Jay DeMerit leveled for the Hornets four minutes into the second half, but Cardiff were back in front when Peter Whittingham's solo run ended with a fine finish.
Watford poured forward in search of an equalizer and got it in the 90th minute. McAnuff had already seen one effort saved but he made no mistake with a powerful strike into the roof of the net.
Stoke moved about Bristol City into third place as Liam Lawrence's hat-trick earned a dramatic 3-3 draw at Barnsley.
Tony Pulis's side are unbeaten in eight matches thanks to Lawrence's last-minute penalty. Brian Howard gave Barnsley the lead with a 23rd-minute penalty, but Lawrence's spot-kick eight minutes later leveled the score.
Jonathan Macken put the hosts back in front in the 66th minute before Lawrence struck again with six minutes to go. Macken looked to have won it a minute later, only for Lawrence to convert another penalty after Stephen Foster was dismissed for a foul on Ricardo Fuller.
China captain Zheng Zhi scored his seventh goal of the season as fifth-placed Charlton drew 1-1 at Norwich.
Zheng's excellent 21st-minute strike put Alan Pardew's side ahead, but they were reduced to 10 men when Sam Sodje was sent off for a foul on Darel Russell soon after.
Norwich equalized when Russell turned in Darren Huckerby's corner with 17 minutes remaining.
Plymouth leapt into the playoff places after Sylvain Ebanks-Blake's last-gasp goal clinched a 2-1 home win over QPR.
Gareth Ainsworth gave QPR a 20th-minute lead but Ebanks-Blake, a former Manchester United trainee, equalized five minutes into the second half before hitting a stoppage-time winner.
AFP
(China Daily 12/28/2007 page23)
