FA Cup: Norwich 3 West Brom 1: Baggies eliminated after late Norfolk unravelling

Josh Maja scored a first Albion goal in more than three-and-a-half games with a second-half equaliser after Paris Maghoma's headed opener.

But substitute pair Ben Chrisene and Mohamed Toure converted inside the final 10 minutes to ensure away boss Ramsay remains winless from his first seven games at the helm.

FA Cup progress was never a priority for Albion but the hope was a decent performance and result to aid confidence and momentum in the league survival plight.

A much-changed Baggies side - nine alterations to Norwich's six - were second-best in a poor first half but in the game midway through the second half with Maja's third goal of the season and second in Norfolk.

But familiar defensive frailties proved costly in a late unravelling.

Attention returns to the desperate push for second-tier survival. Ramsay's side improved with successive goalless draws over the last week but Blackburn won elsewhere on Saturday, though Portsmouth succumbed to a late winner. The Baggies are two places and points clear with crucial clashes ahead.

Rare Albion highlights were starts for young duo Harry Whitwell and Ollie Bostock, who did themselves justice in an otherwise forgettable tie and more travel misery.

The Baggies, so hopeless away from home for such a long period, almost bucked that trend from the off as they had it in the net after three minutes.

Striker Maja converted a tap-in at the same end he netted the Championship winner on October 1, but the assistant's offside flag quickly and correctly overruled his effort.

Maja had reacted quickest from a clean strike from loan debutant Hindolo Mustapha, whose sharp effort cracked the right post with goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw helpless.

It was a promising start from Ramsay's side but the hosts quickly took charge and threatened more.

Centre-back and skipper Ruairi McConville lashed way over but it was striker Mathias Kvistgaarden causing many of the issues. The Dane played on the shoulder and was lively with his runs, one of which drew an early caution for the returning Krystian Bielik.

Albion were all too often guilty of handing the hosts the ascendency with loose passes.

Kvistgaarden had a low shot smothered by Josh Griffiths and another effort a few minutes later beaten away after Harry Whitwell was put under pressure by a poor Alfie Gilchrist pass. 

The Canaries were wasteful from umpteen set-pieces and by the time of the 31st-minute opener it was their ninth corner.

Jacob Wright's delivery from the right was met by the unmarked giant Harry Darling at the back post, who nodded into the mix for the also unchecked Maghoma to head into the corner with Griffiths rooted. It was dreadful marking.

The Baggies threatened to respond as Ousmane Diakite found Danny Imray on the right and the Palace loanee found his Eagles colleague to release Mustapha. His sharp strike from the right of the box almost squirmed under Grimshaw but the keeper claimed it on the line.

Ramsay's side should have fallen two behind before the break but Oscar Schwartau miscued horribly from eight yards.

Griffiths made another top stop on the stroke of half-time to parry Kvistgaarden's header.

Ramsay surprisingly withdrew busy keeper Griffiths for Max O'Leary at the break - with the likelihood of an injury - and introduced vice-captain Alex Mowatt for Mustapha.

In a carbon copy of the first period, the Baggies started with an early disallowed Maja goal.

The offside was clearer this time as Maja turned in after Whitwell's strike was kept out from a Gilchrist throw-in.

Once again the slack and sloppy visitors were architects of their own downfall as Norwich broke an Albion corner after Mikey Johnston's terrible pass and O'Leary kept out Wright with a fine strong hand.

Norwich pressure dropped off and the tie entered a lull with neither side looking likely to find a way through.

The visitors worked some better positions but the final ball lacked time and again - but that changed for a classy equaliser midway through the half.

Norwich lost possession and Diakite played an excellent through ball to Maja, who lofted in a deft chip over Grimshaw for a rare Baggies goal.

Any hope the leveller would spark waves of Albion attacks were fruitless. Both bosses responded with changes but the hosts grew from their alterations.

The tie was in the balance with moves this way and that but the hosts found a way through with eight minutes left.

Sub Anis Ben Slimane found a ball to the left and Chrisene, up from left-back, behind Imray and he rifled a finish across goal and in from the corner of the box for his second goal against Albion in a month.

The Canaries had the tie at their mercy and Albion struggled to respond. Maja, who completed the contest, fired at Grimshaw from 20 yards into stoppage time but that was as good as it got.

Indeed the hosts rubbed salt into the wounds with a third deep into stoppage time as beleaguered Albion fans trudged for the exits.

Norwich (4-2-3-1): Grimshaw; Stacey, McConville (c), Darling, Fisher (Gibbs, 71); Wright, Field; Ahmed (Chrisene, 71), Maghoma (Ben Slimane, 62), Schwartau (McLean, 81); Kvistgaarden (Toure, 62)

Subs not used: Moulden, Cordoba, Springett, Mundle-Smith

Albion (4-2-3-1): Griffiths (O'Leary, 45); Imray, Gilchrist, Bielik (c) (Molumby, 78), Taylor; Diakite, Whitwell (Price, 73); Johnston, Mustapha (Mowatt, 45), Bostock (Jimoh-Aloba, 73); Maja.

Subs not used: Williams, Iddrisa, Heggebo, Dike

Attendance: 25,538 (1,300 Albion fans)

Referee: Tom Reeves