INJURY-RAVAGED Albion's unbeaten home record came to an end - despite Tony Mowbray's men hitting the woodwork SIX times.
It was another Baggies tale of what might have been as old boy Rob Earnshaw grabbed a soft 58th-minute winner on his first Hawthorns return.
Despite creating by far the better chances, the hosts were left ruing more poor finishing and a huge slice of bad luck, with the posts and bar coming to the Canaries' rescue three times apiece.
An Armistice Day minute's silence was impeccably observed before kick-off.
And both sides made their own special tribute, wearing shirts featuring embroidered poppies which will be auctioned off in aid of the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal next week.
Paul McShane made his first start in four games as Mowbray rang three changes from the Derby defeat.
The Ireland international, Kevin Phillips and fit-again Darren Carter replaced injured duo Richard Chaplow (back) and Zoltan Gera (calf), plus Nathan Ellington, who dropped to the bench.
Mowbray also had to do without Paul Robinson, serving the final game of his three-match ban, John Hartson (Achilles), Nigel Quashie (ankle), Neil Clement (knee) and Thomas Gaardsoe (groin).
Peter Grant made one change, with Andy Hughes replacing Paul McVeigh.
Albion started the day in fifth place - four points and eight places better off than the Canaries.
'Earnie' received a warm pre-match welcome from the home hordes as he made his first appearance at the Black Country venue since joining Norwich for £3.5million in January.
The visitors enjoyed the lion's share of possession during the opening exchanges, stroking the ball around comfortably.
But Youssef Safri was well wide with a 30-yard grass-cutter following a long spell of Norwich keep-ball.
City continued to keep Albion pegged back and Russell Hoult, on his 200th appearance for the club, did brilliantly to tip Hughes' looping header over the bar from Adam Drury's deep cross.
But it was Albion who created the first gilt-edged opening of the game in the 18th minute.
From Phillips' pinpoint crossfield pass, McShane found Watson in acres of space inside the box with a first-time cross.
But the former Everton man didn't realise how much time he had and headed weakly wide from 15 yards.
Albion began to take a stranglehold on the game as the half reached its midpoint and Jason Koumas' clever dink into the box caused mayhem.
Phillips just failed to get a goalscoring touch to the ball but, following a mix-up in communication between Hughes and keeper Paul Gallacher, the former unwittingly nudged it towards the open net.
However, the former Reading man just beat Phillips to the loose ball and cleared from deep inside the six-yard box.
Norwich failed to properly clear Carter's ensuing corner and, after Koumas pulled the trigger first-time from 20 yards, Gallacher dived full-stretch to push the ball to safety.
The game was now beginning to open up and Curtis Davies got into a spot of bother when he misjudged Jurgen Colin's diagonal pass into the box.
The loose ball ran nicely for Earnshaw, but Davies recovered in time to divert the Wales international's shot wide of goal with a last-ditch lunge.
Back came Albion and Gallacher showed a safe pair of hands to hold on to Jonathan Greening's 20-yard exocet, which took a slight deflection off a Norwich defender.
Albion were beginning to turn the screw and Watson was unlucky to see a first-time volley from 15 yards bounce off the near post and out for a goal kick after Greening's long-range drive had been blocked inside the penalty area.
Norwich earned some respite from the Baggies pressure when Dickson Etuhu threaded Earnshaw through.
The pint-sized striker managed to squeeze a shot in despite being tracked by two Baggies defenders - but Hoult was equal to it, saving low to his left.
Albion were soon back on the attack and the woodwork rescued Norwich again when Phillips beat Gallacher to McShane's cross at the near post.
The ball bounced across the goalline, but after an almighty scramble, the Canaries cleared the danger.
Unbelievably, Albion hit the frame of the goal for the third time in two minutes when Koumas saw an exquisite 20-yard effort crash off the bar, with Gallacher beaten all ends up.
And there was more Albion agony in the 40th minute when the unmarked Phillips inexplicably headed McShane's terrific centre wide from ten yards.
Albion started the second half like a house on fire and Jason Shackell had to make a last-ditch clearance inside his own six-yard box to prevent Diomansy Kamara getting on the end of Koumas' superb centre.
But it was Norwich who threatened next, with Dion Dublin heading high and wide from Carl Robinson's 53rd-minute free-kick.
Grant's troops went one better five minutes later by taking the lead - and you just knew who was going to get the goal.
Colin swung a superb ball into the box and the unmarked Earnshaw directed it into the bottom far corner of the net with what appeared to be a weak header.
Mowbray made his first throw of the dice soon after, replacing Watson with Ellington.
Albion regrouped and Gallacher had his hands stung when Kamara cut in from the right and fired straight at the City keeper from 20 yards.
The Senegal ace had an even better chance moments later but headed Ellington's curling cross well over from ten yards.
But with Albion pushing men forward in search of an equaliser, they were leaving themselves open to the counter-attack.
And Huckerby wasn't too far away with an angled 15-yard shot following a long, mazy run at the retreating home defence.
Albion hit back and Phillips watched a stinging 20-yard drive deflect off a Norwich defender and loop inches wide of the right-hand post.
Moments later, Carter saw a ferocious cross-cum-shot blocked by Shackell inside the six-yard box.
And Albion were cursing their luck again in the 73rd minute when they hit the Canaries woodwork a fourth time.
On this occasion, skipper Davies was the unfortunate Baggies man, seeing a towering header from Carter's corner cannon off the bar before City cleared.
Koumas just couldn't believe it when he saw a stunning 30-yard free-kick in the 85th minute cannon off Gallacher's right-hand post.
Albion continued to lay siege to the Canaries goal and - guess what? - hit the woodwork again in stoppage time.
Greening's goalbound prod deflected off Etuhu and clattered the bar, leaving the Baggies well and truly cursing their luck at the full-time whitsle.
ALBION (4-4-2): Hoult; McShane (Hodgkiss 83), C Davies, Perry, Albrechtsen; Watson (Ellington 63), Greening, Carter, Koumas; Phillips, Kamara. Subs not used: Steele (gk), Wallwork, Nicholson.
NORWICH (4-3-3): Gallacher; Colin, Shackell, Dublin, Drury; Etuhu, Safri, Robinson; Hughes (McVeigh 86), Earnshaw (Thorne 90+3), Huckerby. Subs not used: Ashdown (gk), Eagle, Spillane.
GOALS: NORWICH - Earnshaw (58).
BOOKINGS: ALBION - Greening (foul 61). NORWICH - Colin (foul 42), Safri (foul 45).
REFEREE: G Laws (Tyne & Wear).
ATTENDANCE: 18,718.
ALBION STARMAN: Jason Koumas.
(PICS BY LAURIE RAMPLING)
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