Robbo's Fran-tic
From Jim Keat at Carrow Road
DAMIEN FRANCIS rammed home a sensational 86th-minute winner to confirm Norwich as the Premiership's comeback kids.
Relegation-haunted Canaries twice went behind to battling West Brom, but that priceless Francis strike could prove the biggest goal in their history.
It lifted City off the foot of the Premiership and within two points of fourth-from-bottom Palace.
Skipper Craig Fleming equalised Rob Earnshaw's opener in first-half injury time, and Gary Doherty had levelled again after Kieran Richardson struck.
And after coming back from three goals down to save a point against Middlesbrough last month, Norwich this time got the win bonus as Francis's magnificent strike left Baggies boss Bryan Robson floored.
Norwich manager Nigel Worthington exclaimed: "This was a huge game. People said before that it would be tense, and it was.
"We had everything out there, especially in the second half, and I'm just glad we came out on top.
"I have to say West Brom were unlucky. They were brighter and quicker than us in the first half but we hung in there."
And on match-winner Francis, Worthington said: "There's nobody better than Damien in those circumstances. He's a great striker of the ball and I might stick him up front next week."
Annoyed
Robson was left to comment: "If we keep defending like that we will go down.
"I'm really disappointed because for long periods we out-played Norwich and created plenty of chances. But I can't believe the way we defended at set plays.
"It's cost us dearly over the past few weeks. We play some lovely football but keep letting ourselves down.
"I'm annoyed because the same thing keeps happening. All they did was fling a ball into the box but my players can't deal with it."
Both sides showed nerves in a scrappy opening 20 minutes, although Earnshaw tested City keeper Rob Green early on and Dean Ashton saw Baggies stopper Russell Hoult save his header.
And in the 35th minute Earnshaw produced a magnificent effort that beat Green but crashed back off the bar.
Within seconds, Jonathan Greening rattled the angle of bar and post with a thumping drive.
Six minutes later Green's shocking mistake gifted Albion a goal.
He cleared Doherty's back-pass straight to Greening and the midfielder set up Earnshaw for the opener.
In typical fashion, though, Robson's side couldn't hold on.
A minute into injury time Norwich were level and, astonishingly, it was due to another goalkeeping blunder.
From a corner, Fleming looped a header goalwards and Hoult punched the ball into his own net.
Despite that hammer blow Robson's side were not about to cave in. And whatever he said in the dressing room worked wonders as Albion roared back into the lead.
Four minutes after the break Earnshaw sprung City's offside trap. Green got a hand to his chip but Richardson, on loan from Manchester United, forced the ball home.
Once again, Robson's boys couldn't hold onto the lead.
Storming
Shortly after the hour-mark Darren Huckerby crossed and Doherty nudged his header home.
Earnshaw had a great free-kick saved and Campbell was denied from point-blank range. But Francis completed an astonishing Norwich comeback with his storming strike.
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