Vardy on target as Leicester beat West Brom 1-0

* Vardy scored just before halftime

* West Brom goalless for fifth game in a row

* West Brom away to Burnley next, Leicester host Watford WEST BROM 0 LEICESTER CITY 1

April 29 (Reuters) - Jamie Vardy pounced just before halftime to earn Leicester City a 1-0 over West Brom at The Hawthorns on Saturday, to take them closer to Premier League survival.

The win lifts reigning champions Leicester, who have spent much of the season facing the threat of relegation, up four places to the relative safety of 11th, nine points ahead of third-from-bottom side Swansea City, with four games to play.

Vardy netted in the 43rd minute after Shinji Okazaki snapped up a bad back pass and played him in, and the England striker slotted home his 12th league goal of the season.

Second-half substitute James McClean provided a much-needed injection of pace and trickery on the left for West Brom, but despite plenty of possession they could not find the back of the net, yet they remain eighth despite losing their last four league games and failing to score in five. (Reporting by Philip O'Connor,; Editing by Neville Dalton)