Shaun Goater grabbed his fourteenth goal of the season to secure the all-important points for promotion-chasing City in their clash against struggling West Brom at The Hawthorns.

The Bermudan striker, who was a continual thorn in the side of the Albion defence, found the target with a well-placed shot after defender Danny Granville gave Joe Royle's high-flyers a 50th minute lead.

Granville gave keeper Alan Miller no possible chance with his low, angled drive into the far corner of the net after an inch-perfect pass from the dangerous Goater.

Albion, now with only one win in their last eight outings, tried desperately hard to get back onto level terms with Richard Sneekes having a header touched onto the crossbar by City's impressive keeper Nick Weaver.

But in the 72nd minute the hard-working Goater pounced to put the issue beyond doubt when he notched the vital goal that strengthened City's push for Premiership football.

Substitute Danny Tiatto fed a perfect pass to Goater who, with the Albion defence caught flat-footed, lashed a low well-placed shot past Miller.

City have now put together two successive wins after their miserable run of three successive defeats and, in the end they thoroughly deserved their festive haul against Albion.

In the first half it was City who impressed in the early stages but they had to be grateful for a terrific 15th minute save from Weaver that denied Albion the lead against the run of play.

Micky Evans fired in a first-time shot to a cross from Daniel Gabbidon but Weaver dived smartly to his right to make a great one-handed save.

Enzo Maresca blasted his 43rd minute shot high over the City goal when he should have done better with Jeff Whitley squandering a good chance for City moments later when he side-footed wide from eight yards.

Teams:

West Brom: Miller, Gabbidon (De Freitas 76), Burgess, Raven, Sigurdsson, Van Blerk, Quinn, Sneekes, Maresca, Evans, Hughes.

Subs Not Used: Adamson, McDermott, Chambers, Townsend.

Booked: Hughes, Van Blerk, Burgess.

Man City: Weaver, Edghill, Wiekens, Jobson, Granville, Bishop, Pollock (Grant 78), Whitley, Goater, Peacock (Dickov 73), Kennedy (Tiatto 25).

Subs Not Used: Wright, Crooks.

Booked: Edghill, Wiekens.

Goals: Granville 50, Goater 72.

Att: 19,589

Ref: E Wolstenholme (Blackburn).