Horsfield's late gallop leaves Baggies in cart

Birmingham City 1 West Bromwich Albion

With so much at stake in this battle of the Midlands strugglers, this was never likely to be a classic. It wasn't, but nobody involved with Birmingham City will much care. This win, secured by Geoff Horsfield with less than five seconds of added-on time left to play, takes Steve Bruce's men to within touching distance of Premiership safety. West Brom, though, look doomed.

Bruce had to admit that this was the most important win of his Birmingham career. "Hors is a manager's dream," he said of the goalscorer, "and thanks to him there is now light at the end of the tunnel for us. I think we need one more win to be sure."

Birmingham should have taken the lead after six minutes as Christophe Dugarry cushioned Jeff Kenna's deep cross back to Clinton Morrison, who then teed up the on-rushing Stephen Clemence. The former Tottenham midfielder should have done better than sky the ball high and wide from 15 yards.

West Brom have huffed and puffed their way through this first, and one assumes, last season in the Premiership, for the time being at least. Goals have been extremely hard to come by, and on the rare occasions they get a sight of goal, fate often conspires against them. Jason Roberts' smart turn inside the Birmingham box after 20 minutes looked to have created an opening, but Matthew Upson brought the big striker down from behind. No penalty, was the verdict from the referee.

"That's what happens when you're near the bottom," the dejected manager, Gary Megson, said afterwards. "My players are really down now. I think they realise this is the end of the [Premiership] road."

The Birmingham front pairing were not setting St Andrews alight, but they were at least carving out the odd chance. On 36 minutes, Dugarry brought down a long ball on his chest before setting up Morrison for the shot. The pass went just behind the Republic of Ireland striker, though, and his attempt trickled wide of the goal. It had been that sort of half.

Hopes were high that the entertainment levels would rise considerably after the restart, and those wishes proved correct as both sides set about winning the contest. With 50 minutes on the clock, the excellent Jason Koumas saw his well-struck shot from 25 yards spilled by the Birmingham goalkeeper, Ian Bennett. From the ensuing corner, Danny Dichio rose highest at the back post to nod the ball towards Roberts. The Grenada international's reaction header looked goal-bound but hit the crossbar instead.

Birmingham responded immediately, as Jamie Clapham launched another good cross from the left which Dugarry met unmarked at the far post but headed too close to Russell Hoult. You sensed the Frenchman might never have a better opportunity to break his Birmingham duck, but 10 minutes later he was presented with another opening, as Hoult dropped a Clapham cross and could only watch in horror as Dugarry raced to the ball. The angle did not favour the striker, though, and his tame effort was cleared off the line by Neil Clement. Darren Carter then missed with his head into an open goal from eight yards and Birmingham needed a hero.

They found one. Having come on after an hour in place of Morrison, who dislocated his shoulder, Horsfield went close with a header two minutes from time, and then scored at the death. Stern John's left-foot shot ricocheted off Clement and fell kindly to the one man who was sure not to miss with a header from four yards. Horsfield's wild celebrations told you just how important the goal, and the win, were for Birmingham City.

Birmingham City 1 West Bromwich Albion 0
Horsfield 90

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 29,449