The Championship hots up!

By Jemma Tappenden
March 14 2007

Is the top of the Championship as tight this year as it has ever been? With only 8 games left to play in the campaign, I'm still not willing to bet my mortgage on how this one will pan out....

Is the Championship more exciting than the Premiership at the top this season? Things are certainly hotting up. Last nights action has still left the door wide open, and provided the Baggies with a fantastic opportunity to make up precious points on their rivals.

The Baggies will entertain Crystal Palace at the Hawthorns tonight. Early team news confirms that West Brom will miss strikers John Hartson (knee) and Nathan Ellington (suspension) for this fixture. Boss Tony Mowbray will be keeping a close eye on leading goal scorer Diomansy Kamara, Paul Robinson and Darren Carter who are all on 9 yellow cards and only one away from a ban.

Crystal Palace will welcome back striker Shefki Kuqi after a knee injury, but will miss Paul Ifil (Achilles), and ex-Wolves man Mark Kennedy and Jobi McAnuff (hamstring).

Results from last nights games certainly left the perfect window of opportunity if the Baggies can capitalise on it tonight. Wolves, who moved 2 points clear of West Brom at the weekend with a 1-0 victory at Molineux, were pegged back last night by Coventry, in a 2-1 defeat. Cardiff City moved level on points with the Baggies after a 2-2 draw at home to Southampton. Cardiff remain 7th, and Southampton 8th in the Championship table. Preston North End moved back above both West Brom and Wolves with a 1-0 win over East Anglian side Ipswich Town. Preston moved to 4th, signalling a drop to 5th and 6th for Wolves and the Baggies respectively. Sunderland were pegged back at home in a 2-2 stalemate with Stoke City, but remain 3rd in the table. Derby were another side held back at home, in a 1-1 draw with QPR. Table leaders Birmingham City lost all 3 points in a 1 goal defeat at Carrow Road with Norwich City.

So a win tonight for the Baggies would see them return to 4th place. 1 point behind Sunderland, and leapfrogging back in front of local rivals Wolves.