City reserves 3, West Brom reserves 6

With one decisive sweep of the right foot, Willy Topp wiped away three months of frustration.

The Chilean striker has been at Valley Parade long enough to feel part of the fixtures and fittings. Except where it really matters - out on the pitch.

But this afternoon, the fans who braved the chill saw why City had wrestled through a web of red tape to get their man.

Topp made his first outing as a bona-fide Bantam -and in just under an hour of action he did not disappoint.

It was fitting that he should crown it with a goal, finishing off a surging move for City's second equaliser just before half-time.

That may have been the highlight but there were other neat touches to admire as he linked up well with Luke Medley.

Topp also displayed a willingness to use both feet. His left is no swinger as he demonstrated with a volley just over the bar after cushioning a Medley cross on his chest.

The goal itself was the product of a purposeful surge from Tom Penford; Sean Taylforth's cross-shot was parried as far as Topp and the Chilean calmly did the rest.

Whether he can stand up to the physical demands of League Two will soon become clear. He did need a couple of minutes of treatment after taking a bang on the head from one challenge.

But the way Topp looked comfortable on the ball - he rarely wasted a pass - provided a timely Christmas pick-me-up in a season that is yet to hit the heights.

Strike partner Medley did no harm to his own chances either in the first half, though his touch let him down once or twice.

There was no doubting the cool way he slid home City's 19th-minute opener after a precise through ball from the string-pulling Penford, whose performance merited his two assists.

But the advantage lasted less than two minutes. Craig Beattie, who cost West Brom £1.5m from Celtic in the summer, netted from just inside the area but keeper Jamie Waite should have stopped a shot that came virtually straight at him.

More fingers were pointed about West Brom's second, though this time the keeper was blameless. Neil Clement was allowed time and space as City backed off and invited him to take aim - and he found the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Clement, like Martin Albrechtsen, was on the comeback trail from a long-term knee injury and his presence underlined the quality of the Championship's leaders' second string.

Unfortunately another defensive lapse undid City with 20 minutes left. Tom Harban tried to chest a ball back to Waite but it fell way short and sub Mo Saied nipped in to lob the stranded keeper.

That sparked a late goal rush. City levelled immediately as Mark Bower thumped home a header from Taylforth's cross but West Brom were far from finished.

Former Burnley midfielder Richard Chaplow drove home number four with Waite motionless; Josh Knight's close-range finish proved too strong for the unconvincing City keeper, even though he got both hands to the ball. And Saied grabbed his second in stoppage time with Waite again exposed.

CITY RES: Waite, Harban, Bartle, Bentham, Ainge, Bower, Taylforth, Penford (Horne 69min), Medley, Topp (Sheridan 55min), Rhodes. Subs (not used): Bowes, Bleau, Filler.

WEST BROM RES: Carlin, Albrechtsen, Tininho, Manchester, Clement, Chaplow, Worrall (Lloyd-Weston 46min), Labadie (Saied 63min), Beattie, Nardiello (Knight 46min), Compton. Subs (not used): Nicholls, Holmes.