After a run of results which had seen them pulled back into the chasing pack, West Bromwich Albion’s bid to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking is back on track after Robert Di Matteo’s side followed up their 5-0 thrashing of Watford last weekend with a more prosaic but, in its own way, similarly conclusive victory against Leicester City.

“We should have scored a third to put the game to bed,”said Di Matteo.

It was the visitors who made the running from the start. It sometimes felt as though Wayne Brown was the only defender keeping City in the game, throwing himself in to block firm shots from Graham Dorrans and Luke Moore, but Moore had so much time he should at least have tested goalkeeper Chris Weale.

When City appeared to be achieving some equality, in terms of possession, they fell behind. A deflating goal to concede it was too, because Dorrans’ driven free kick from near the left touchline was surely meant as a cross. Somehow the ball crept inside Weale’s left-hand post.

Three minutes later it was game over, and Weale was again at fault when Gonazalo Jara let fly from 25 yards. The ball swerved, but Weale reacted tardily.

City could have had the encouragement of an early second-half goal when Matty Fryatt’s cross should have been turned in by Paul Gallagher. Trying to be too delicate, Gallagher failed to get enough on the ball. Weale saved from Chris Brunt and Jerome Thomas, but was a spectator when Moore beat the offside trap and lobbed the ball over his head, turning to see the ball come back off the bar.

Only in added time did City’s belief revive, when Berner followed in after Scott Carson saved Gallagher’s free-kick to give the Foxes late hope.

Star man: Abdoulaye Meite (West Brom) Yellow cards: Leicester: Oakley, McGivern

Referee: N Swarbrick Attendance: 28,748

LEICESTER: Weale 4, Neilson 5, Hobbs 5, Brown 6, Berner 5, Oakley 6 (Gallagher 34min, 5), King 5 (McGivern 44min, 5), Wellens 5, N’Guessan 6 (Howard 61min), Fraytt 6, Waghorn 6

WEST BROM: Carson 7, Zuiverloon 6, Meite 8, Olsson 7, Mattock 6, Brunt 6, Jara 7, Dorrans 7, Thomas 6 (Cech 74min), Cox 5 (Mulumbu 66min), Moore 5 (Bednar 86min)

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