English premier League: Baggies keep pressure on Newcastle 

(MENAFN - The Peninsula) West Bromwich Albion kept the pressure on Championship leaders Newcastle with a 3-1 win over Reading yesterday.

Roberto Di Matteo's second placed side trailed early on to Matt Mills' header at the Hawthorns, but Jerome Thomas levelled in the 29th minute.

The Baggies went ahead in the 65th minute through Thomas, who produced a fine finish past Australian goalkeeper Adam Federici.

Albion rounded off the scoring when Youssouf Mulumbu blasted in a volley from the edge of the area in the 87th minute to move the hosts level on points with Newcastle, who travel to Nottingham Forest in today's late match.

Middlesbrough, relegated along with Albion and Newcastle last season, slipped further off the promotion pace as Watford claimed a surprise 1-0 win at the Riverside Stadium.

Tom Cleverley, on loan from Manchester United, hit the winner in the 26th minute as the midfielder slotted home his fifth goal in 10 league matches for the Hornets.

Gareth Southgate's hosts thought they had equalised at the start of the second half when Sean St Ledger headed home from close range, but the goal was ruled out for a foul and Boro slumped to their third consecutive home defeat.

Cardiff moved into third place despite being held to a 1-1 home draw by Crystal Palace.

Dave Jones' team suffered an early blow when defender Mark Hudson scored a 13th minute own goal against his former club.

But the Bluebirds drew level when Peter Whittingham notched his fifth goal in four games in the 19th minute.

Blackpool are fifth after Ian Holloway's side defeated Plymouth 2-0.

The hosts went ahead when Blackpool defender Marcel Seip, on loan from Plymouth, struck in the 31st minute.

David Vaughan's 64th minute goal ensured Holloway would celebrate victory over his former club.

Ipswich boss Roy Keane is still searching for his first win after a 1-1 draw with Swansea at Portman Road.

Craig Beattie fired the visitors ahead in the seventh minute before Pablo Counago equalised for bottom of the table Ipswich eight minutes later.

Elsewhere, Leicester stayed seventh after a 0-0 draw with Derby while Bristol City were held to a 1-1 draw with Peterborough.

The Robins were on the brink of victory after Cole Skuse scored a fine solo goal to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

But George Boyd, making a club record equalling 124th consecutive appearance, headed a 90th minute equaliser. QPR thrashed Preston 4-0, Scunthorpe claimed a 3-1 win over Sheffield United, whose bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday strolled to a 2-0 win over Coventry.

Barnsley claimed their third consecutive win as Adam Hammill's strike defeated Yorkshire rivals Doncaster 1-0.

Meanwhile, Bosnia coach Miroslav Blazevic said he wants his team to draw France in the European play-offs for the 2010 World Cup to avenge Croatia's semi-final defeat in 1998 when he was in charge.

"Even if it's maybe the most respectable team in the qualifications, I'd still like to play against France more than the others," Blazevic told Croatian newspaper Vjesnik.

"When I led Croatia to the 1998 World Cup we did not deserve to be beaten by the French," 2-1 in the semi-finals, with France going on to win the tournament on home soil.

"So I'd like to take revenge on this 11-year-old defeat."

With the likes of Bundasliga stars Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic in their ranks, Bosnia finished second in Group 5 of European qualifiers behind Spain. The four teams Bosnia could face in the play-offs are either France, Greece, Portugal or Russia.

"We can beat any team in the play-offs. I'm sure Bosnia will go to the World Cup," said Blazevic.

Bosnia have taken part in neither the European Cup nor the World Cup, and will discover their play-off opponent tomorrow.