West Brom maintained their determined bid to win automatic promotion as an own goal from Chris Morgan guaranteed them the all-important points at the rain-swept Hawthorns.

Gary Megson introduced Slovakian international Igor Balis into the hard-fought game with just nine minutes left on the clock and he provided the telling cross that decided the issue.

The former Slovan Bratislava star fired a hard right wing cross into the middle in the 83rd minute and Morgan, trying to clear, could only scoop the ball into his own net.

But before Morgan's blunder Megson's promotion chasers struggled to find a way past the impressive Kevin Miller in the Barnsley goalmouth.

Miller was in superb form and he made a terrific save in the 20th minute when he dived to fingertip away a goalbound free-kick from Neil Clement.

Then, just six minutes later, Des Lyttle caught the Barnsley defence napping with a pinpoint cross from the right wing.

Clement was perfectly positioned and he powered in a close-range header but again Miller dived to make a marvellous one-handed save.

Barnsley, now with just one win to their credit in seven outings, dominated the early exchanges with Albion keeper Brian Jensen saving a fifth-minute header from Janni Salli.

Then, in the 11th minute, the big Danish keeper rejoined the action to hold a 20-yard shot from Tykes' striker Neil Shipperley.

After the break it was again Albion who held the edge with Miller making another cracking stop in the 47th minute to hold a free kick from Ruel Fox.

Albion should have opened the scoring in the 58th minute when Dutchman Richard Sneekes opened up the Barnsley defence for striker Lee Hughes.

But the ginger-haired hotshot with 15 goals in the bag so far this season blasted his shot high and wide of the target.

Teams:

West Brom Jensen, Lyttle, Clement, Butler, Carbon, James Chambers, Fox, Sneekes, Jordao (Balis 80), Hughes, Roberts (Taylor 59).

Subs Not Used: Adamson, Quinn, Sigurdsson.

Booked: Jordao, Sneekes, Taylor.

Goals: Morgan 85 og.

Barnsley Miller, O'Callaghan, Salli (Bullock 87), Morgan, Barker, Chettle, Appleby, Jones (Dyer 73), Sheron, Neil, Shipperley.

Subs Not Used: Fallon, Thomas, McClare.

Booked: Appleby, Miller, Salli.

Att: 19,423

Ref: P Richards (Preston).