Albion 3 Leicester 0

Albion took another big step towards promotion to the Premier League with a big home win over Leicester.

James Morrison's strike got the Baggies going at the Hawthorns before a goal in each half from Robert Koren, back in the side after loan midfielder Ben Watson was recalled to Wigan.

The Baggies moved 12 points clear of third-placed Nottingham Forest with the win, who travel to Bristol City tomorrow of the back of some wretched away form.

Leicester had looked to come forward in the opening stages, with ex-Albion winger Lloyd Dyer leading the charge, firing over the far post after just three minutes and over-running a mazy surge on 13.

But Albion were producing the clearer openings and hit the woodwork in the 17th minute, Chris Brunt's free-kick finding defender Jonas Olsson arriving at the far post but his header bounced off the outside of the post and wide.

And it was the Baggies who opened the scoring at a pivotal period of the first-half just seven minutes before the break, with a first goal of the season from James Morrison.

The midfielder had only just picked himself up off the floor after being felled by a cynical kick from Martyn Waghorn that got the Leicester striker booked, but was in the right place when the ball came back out to him.

Brunt's cross was headed away by defender Jack Hobbs only as far as Graham Dorrans who teed up Morrison outside the 'D,' giving the midfielder time to dig out a drive that beat goalkeeper Chris Weale at full stretch and sailed into the top corner.

If that goal came at a bad time for Leicester, another goal a minute into first-half stoppage time left them with a mountain to climb at the break.

The defence again couldn't deal with Brunt's delivery, this time from a free-kick, as Hobbs this time headed against his unwitting team-mate Andy King, to sit the ball up for Koren to prod into the near corner.

Leicester had to get a goal back quick after the break and twice Steve Howard should have done better within seven minutes of the second-half, pulling it wide after turning clear off the defence and then then lofting the ball over the bar.

Albion also continued to have their chances, with full-back Gabriel Tamas forcing a save from Weale at his near post with a low drive from the left wing, before Ishmael Miller pulled another effort over the bar after a melee in the box.

Sub Paul Gallagher also fired over for Leicester with 11 minutes to go, before the home side saw penalty appeals waved away two minutes later after Koren's shot bounced off the chest and moved onto the arm of Bruno Berner.

The minutes were ticking away from Leicester and Albion sealed the win with a third goal five minutes from the end.

Another Brunt's ball spilt the back-tracking defence, this time a crossfield pass along the deck leaving Koren one-on-one with Weale, to round the goalkeeper and tap the ball into the empty net.