Albion 3 Preston 2

Ben Watson, Chris Brunt and Graham Dorrans struck for Albion as they moved a step closer to promotion with victory over Preston at the Hawthorns.

But the win was marred by loud booing of Baggies substitute Luke Moore from the home fans, after joining the game in the second-half.

Albion scored three of the five goals in a breathless first-half, racing into a two-goal lead after nine minutes through Watson's first Baggies goal and Brunt's 11th of the season.

Preston struck through Sean St Ledger, before Dorrans' superb 25-yard free-kick restored the sizeable advantage and took his tally for the season to 16 goals.

But the visitors fought back again before the break through Neil Mellor, to ensure a tense second-half.

The game then took an unsavoury turn off the field on 72 minutes when Moore, who has failed to establish a rapport with fans since his move from Villa two years ago, was booed by the Smethwick End after replacing Ishmael Miller.

Albion had made a dream start to the game, going ahead from the game's first shot on target.

Robert Koren fed Miller and the striker poked the ball back to the midfielder, who hit a clever first-time pass towards the darting run of Watson.

St Ledger got a desperate foot to the pass but could not cut it out and Watson swept it home from 10 yards.

The Baggies doubled their lead two minutes later when Dorrans threaded a fine ball through to Brunt, who finished coolly with his left foot despite furious shouts from the visitors for an offside flag.

Miller then missed a great chance to make it 3-0, glancing a header off target from a Dorrans cross.

Preston duly reduced the arrears from a corner, after goalkeeper Scott Carson had turned a Chris Sedgwick header around the post.

Gabriel Tamas totally lost St Ledger, who was unmarked inside the six-yard box to head home Ross Wallace's flag kick.

Brunt and Koren then missed decent chances before Dorrans struck to make it 3-1.

Miller was fouled by Callum Davidson 25 yards from goal and the Scotland international curled a fabulous free-kick over the visitors' wall and into the top corner.

But Preston pegged the hosts back again two minutes before the interval, as a lofted ball from Wallace deep inside his own half found Mellor, who raced clear of the Baggies defence to round Carson and slot home.

Preston threatened early in the second-half from a long-distance free-kick from former Albion midfielder Richard Chaplow, but Carson was equal to it.

Just after the hour-mark a fine crossfield ball from Tamas and a lay-off from Koren teed up Watson, whose half-volley was saved brilliantly by goalkeeper Andy Lonergan.

From the resulting corner Tamas's far-post header was cleared off the line by Mellor and hacked away by Sedgwick.

Lonergan then made a smart double-save to deny Miller, which was the striker's last notable act before making way for Moore, who was subjected to loud booing from after entering the fray.

The Birmingham Road End reacted by singing Moore's name loudly and the striker responded with several neat touches soon after his introduction.