Beattie cut in from the right flank with just two minutes remaining to curl over Leicester goalkeeper Marton Fulop and seal a win which keeps the pressure on the Hornets ahead of their clash at Stoke tomorrow lunchtime.

Albion boss Tony Mowbray was forced to field an under-strength side through suspension and injury problems but saw them control the match throughout and take the lead in the first half when Zoltan Gera was in position to head home a superb Chris Brunt cross.

But Iain Hume levelled matters with a quarter of an hour to go when he challenged goalkeeper Luke Steele to a bouncing ball and forced it home.

That appeared to have earned Ian Holloway's men a point before Beattie cut inside Richard Stearman and - with options in the middle - chose to shoot and bend the ball beautifully into the far corner.

Darren Ambrose struck twice against his former club as Charlton kept up their promotion bid with a 3-1 win over Ipswich.

Ipswich are still without a win on the road this season after finding themselves staring at another defeat when Ambrose struck after just six minutes.

Chris Iwelumo netted his eighth goal of the season and Ambrose scored again six minutes before the break with Charlton cruising.

Any realistic chance of a second-half comeback from the visitors evaporated when Nicky Weaver saved Alan Lee's penalty two minutes after the interval, although substitute Pablo Counago did grab a consolation.

Charlton's win was marred by a red card shown to Jonathan Fortune after the final whistle, however.

Cardiff look to have got their stuttering season back on track after a resounding 4-1 win over Colchester.

Johnnie Jackson had given the Essex side a first-half lead, but the Bluebirds were in rampant form in the second half.

Steve Thompson, Peter Whittingham and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored in quick succession before Adam Virgo's own goal completed the rout.

A second-half own goal from Krisztian Timar denied Plymouth all three points against fellow high-fliers Bristol City in an entertaining 1-1 draw at Home Park.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's first-half penalty put the Pilgrims on course, but City fought back and were rewarded when Hungarian defender Timar headed into his own net 20 minutes from time.

Wes Hoolahan's second-half penalty was enough to earn victory for Blackpool in a pulsating Lancashire derby against Preston at Deepdale.

Stern John's hat-trick inspired Southampton to a 4-0 win over Hull.

Bradley Wright-Phillips had given the Saints the lead just before half-time before John ran riot in the second period.

Akos Buzsaky twice put QPR ahead against Scunthorpe, but the Iron levelled each time through Martin Paterson and Jonathan Forte to secure a 2-2 draw.

Ched Evans' first-half goal was enough to seal a 1-0 win for Norwich against Sheffield United, while Barnsley and Crystal Palace played out an insipid goalless draw at Oakwell.

Sheffield Wednesday's meeting against Coventry lasted only 27 minutes after the match was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch. The game was goalless when referee Graham Laws called the match off.