West Brom close gap at summit

17 October 2009 19:10
West Brom are level with Newcastle at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship after coming from a goal down to beat Reading 3-1 at The Hawthorns. The Baggies trailed early on to Matt Mills' header, but Jerome Thomas ensured the two sides went into the interval on level terms. The hosts then went ahead when Thomas got his second goal of the afternoon as he slid the ball under Adam Federici. West Brom rounded off the scoring when Youssouf Mulumbu sent in a first-time volley from the edge of the area. Fellow high-flyers Middlesbrough struggled at home to Watford, with Tom Cleverley coolly slotting home in the first half. The hosts thought they had equalised at the start of the second half when Sean St Ledger headed home from close range, but the home side's joy was cut short as St Ledger - on loan from Preston - was adjudged to have pushed a Watford defender. Tony McMahon hit the post for Boro while Leroy Lita, Adam Johnson and Jeremie Aliadiere all had efforts but the Hornets held on as Boro lost their third consecutive home game. As a result, Cardiff's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace was sufficient to lift them into third on goal difference. Cardiff suffered an early setback as Mark Hudson scored an own goal against his former club. The Bluebirds drew level before the break, Peter Whittingham grabbing his fifth goal in four games. Blackpool moved into fifth with a 2-0 win over Plymouth. The hosts went ahead when on-loan defender Marcel Seip grabbed the only goal of the first half against his parent club. David Vaughan doubled the lead when he hit a shot into the top right of the goal from Ben Burgess.

Source: Eurosport