Journalist Joe Chapman has hailed the performance of Conor Townsend in West Brom's unconvincing 1-0 win at home to Birmingham City.

The Lowdown: West Brom see off Birmingham

The Baggies hosted their local rivals on Friday evening, as the Championship got back underway after the latest international break.

In truth, Valerien Ismael's side never got going in a poor game but Karlan Grant's impressive solo effort proved to be the difference between the two sides, as West Brom went top of the table.

The Latest: Townsend stands out

There weren't many individual performances which caught the eye at the Hawthorns but one player who stood out was Townsend, who made three tackles and two interceptions overall, also nearly scoring in the first half.

Someone who was clearly impressed was The Birmingham Mail's Chapman, who handed the 28-year-old the Man of the Match award and spoke glowingly about his display:

"Great to see Townsend back playing where he is at his best. Stung the fingertips of Sarkic and then executed a brilliant challenge on Chong at the other end, all in the space of a minute. A constant outlet down the left with some superb dribbling skills to boot. Should’ve scored."

The Verdict: They all count

These are the sort of victories that can feel so pleasing in a Championship promotion push, given their gritty nature.

There is no denying that West Brom were a long way from their best on Friday but they got the job done and picked up a precious three points, putting pressure on their rivals at the top in the process.

In other news, one player's first-half display against Birmingham was hailed by some West Brom fans. Find out who it is here.