Shaun Goater kept Manchester City in the hunt for an automatic promotion place
when he scored an injury-time winner to shatter West Brom.
Bermudian international Goater netted his 26th goal of the season with City's
last attack to give the Blues their first win in eight games.
He was perfectly placed on the six-yard line to sidefoot in substitute Paul
Dickov's low cross.
But it was cruel luck on West Brom, who had taken the lead on the hour and for
most of the game had seemed likely to justify boss Gary Megson's bold move in
giving five new players their full debuts.
That goal came from the boot of striker Lee Hughes, who netted his 16th of the
season with a super solo strike.
He collected a long ball out of the visitors' defence but still had plenty to
do on the edge of the City area when faced with Blues new central defender
Spencer Prior.
But Hughes, who was linked with a £2million move to Leicester City before the
transfer deadline, showed Premiership finishing when he curled the ball past
keeper Nicky Weaver from the edge of the box.
The finger of guilt had to be pointed at Prior as the £500,000 deadline-day
signing from Derby County stood off Hughes and allowed him to shoot without
attempting to make a tackle.
City equalised through Republic of Ireland international Mark Kennedy in the
77th minute.
Wing wizard Kennedy, so often the goal provider for City, took his own tally
for the season to seven with a low left-footed drive from 25 yards after
substitute Tony Grant had squared a free-kick to him.
City twice hit the woodwork in the first half and it looked like being another
frustrating day for Joe Royle's men before half-time.
Midfielder Jamie Pollock hit a 20-yarder against the bar in the 15th minute
and Goater volleyed the rebound over from close range.
The Blues hit the woodwork again after 25 minutes when Albion's Danish keeper
Brian Jensen dived to his right to turn Kennedy's low angled shot onto a post.
He also made two terrific saves in a minute from Kennedy before the break.
But it was not all one-way traffic. Weaver was injured and needed treatment
when diving at the feet of Hughes in the ninth minute and on 17 minutes the
England under-21 international had to furiously race back to tip over a Hughes
lob from the edge of the box which would have dipped just under the bar.
Weaver also had to move smartly on 65 minutes to again deny Hughes. He dived
full-length at the striker's feet to intercept a through ball but failed to hold
it.
In the melee Weaver appeared to clip Hughes' ankles in the area and although
the game was held up for lengthy treatment for Hughes, Albion's penalty appeals
were waved away by Barrow referee Trevor Jones.
Teams:
Man City: Weaver, Edghill, Prior, Jobson, Granville (Grant 64),
Kennedy, Tiatto, Pollock, J. Whitley, Goater,
Taylor (Dickov 46).
Subs Not Used: Horlock, Bishop, Wright.
Booked: Taylor.
Goals: Kennedy 77, Goater 90.
West Brom: Jensen, Carbon, Clement, Lyttle, Butler, Flynn,
Quinn (Townsend 73), Sneekes (J. Chambers 90), Santos, Hughes,
Taylor.
Subs Not Used: Adamson, Evans, Oliver.
Booked: Quinn.
Goals: Hughes 60.
Att: 32,072
Ref: T Jones (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria).
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