Signs that Rickie Lambert can still be a Premier League force

Albion's all-time top scorer Tony 'Bomber' Brown wants Rickie Lambert to continue playing as high up the pitch as he did on Saturday.

Lambert scored his first competitive goal for the Baggies from the penalty spot, but Bomber also noticed his link-up play had improved in the 15 minutes he was on the pitch against Leicester.

"That's the highest I've seen him play for us since he's come here, he played up" said Brown. "Some of the lay-

offs in the short space of time were superb.

"We could easily have got two goals from them."

Like Jamie Vardy, Lambert has worked his way up through the leagues, but Albion's striker is having a markedly more difficult season than the Leicester forward.

However, Bomber expects that goal to give Lambert the confidence to challenge for a starting place.

"It's his first goal for the club and I know it's a penalty and everyone expects you to score but it's not easy," said Brown, who scored 279 times for the Albion.

"There's pressure on you but he's put it away and he can get confidence from that.

"Maybe he'll be hoping to start a game in that position up front."

Lambert nearly completed the comeback when he latched on to a James McClean knock-down at the end of the Leicester game, but he couldn't get enough strength behind the shot to snatch a dramatic late second.

"He was a threat and I thought he was going to get the equaliser right at the death," said Bomber.

"He just couldn't get there, he got a touch to it and he couldn't get enough behind it otherwise that would have been a great finish to the game.

"To be fair, that's where I thought he'd been bought to play for us, to use his strength for us.

"It's interesting to see him play that extra 20 yards up the pitch."