Miller takes another step to fitness

Albion striker Ishmael Miller has made another big step towards fitness with his first 'match goal' in 13 months.

The forward netted against Hereford yesterday and completed another 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Baggies' training ground near Great Barr.

Miller played the first-half of the 2-0 win over the Bulls to continue his rehabilitation from double knee surgery.

Academy striker Lateef Elford-Alliyu completed the scoring after half-time, while new-boy Marcus Haber also got his first taste of 'match action' in Albion colours.

The game was arranged at short notice after last night's proposed reserves match against Macclesfield at the Hawthorns was postponed.

All eyes were again on Miller, who is striving for full fitness after being sidelined for more than a year by cruciate ligament trouble.

The appearance was his second 45-minute run-out in private practice action, adding to a total of 39 minutes in two substitute appearances in the Championship.

The six other players on the bench alongside Miller at Newcastle on Monday - goalkeeper Dean Kiely, Joe Mattock, Gianni Zuiverloon, Luke Moore, Simon Cox and Filipe Teixeira - also played the first-half against Hereford.

Albion are keen to keep the whole squad in shape, ahead of a hectic sequence of games that will feature at least 10 matches by the end of February.

New Canadian striker Haber, who arrived earlier this month from Vancouver Whitecaps, partnered New Zealand international Chris Wood during the second-half in his first Albion run-out.

There was no match action for another man returning from injury, James Morrison, but the midfielder is still making steady progress in his return from a heel injury.

Morrison last week targeted a return to action by the end of January.