Albion 3 Blackpool 2

A late Graham Dorrans penalty gave Albion a priceless victoryagainst Blackpool in a Hawthorns thriller.

The midfielder struck his 14th goal of the season with 12 minutes to go, after both sides had led in a rollercoaster match.

Ishmael Miller started for the first time in 15 months and struck on 12 minutes to cancel out Charlie Adam's powerful sixth-minute opener for the Seasiders.

Robert Koren then hit his second wonder-goal in four days – a carbon copy of his midweek strike against Sheffield Wednesday – to put the Baggies ahead, only for substitute Brett Ormerod to head the Tangarines level on 72 minutes.

But Dorrans kept his composure from the spot to take Roberto Di Matteo's men further clear of third-placed Nottingham Forest.

Albion were on the back foot early as the visitors took an early lead. The Baggies backed off Adam and the Scot drilled a 25-yard shot past goalkeeper Scott Carson and in off the post.

The Baggies failed to heed that warning, with Adam given room to shoot again but his effort flew just wide.

Vaughan then curled a shot just off target as Blackpool made all the early running, but Albion gradually found their feet with a Steven Reid header from Chris Brunt's corner cleared off the line by Keith Southern.

The home side were level on 12 minutes as a fine first-time pass from Brunt found Miller ,who raced clear and kept his composure to finish past goalkeeper Matt Gilks.

Albion went close again with three chances from the same corner but Jonas Olsson hit the post with a header, Miller's shot from the rebound was blocked on the line by Rob Edwards and Reid blazed his follow-up effort over the bar.

The Baggies had the first chance of the second-half when Koren raced clear but blazed wide with Brunt screaming for a pass in the middle.

But Koren made no mistake moments later picking up a pass from Dorrans and cut in from the right before bending a fabulous left-footed shot past Gilks.

Albion looked to be cruising but they were hit with a sucker punch with 18 minutes when a left-wing cross from Adam to the far post found Ormerod, who get ahead of Marek Cech to head into the roof of the net.

That deflated the Hawthorns somewhat but Albion were back in front just six minutes later.

Substitutes Roman Bednar and Giles Barnes combined, Barnes was felled by Joe Martin and referee Jonathan Moss pointed to the spot.

Dorrans made no mistake, sending Gilks the wrong way and scoring to his left.