West Brom u21s 3 Reading u21s 1: Report as Baggies youngsters sign off year in style

Richard Beale's youngsters prevailed 3-1 over the visiting Royals at The Hawthorns to climb four places in the premier tier for under-21 sides.

Alex Williams, Ollie Bostock and Matt Crowther struck for the home side on a comfortable evening in which the Baggies led 2-1 at the break.

Wales youth international duo Williams, starting on the right flank, opened the scoring before left winger Bostock crashed in a second. Midfielder Crowther, who at 16 is enjoying his first run in the under-21s, capped his night with a Hawthorns goal.

Albion finished last season in 21st in the PL2 and will hope to improve on their position of 20th in the coming months.

The home side should have been ahead inside 30 seconds but former Celtic striker Eseosa Sule could not beat goalkeeper Harrison Rhone after a fine pass released him by left-back Josh Shaw.

There was little in the quiet clash before Albion found the breakthrough on 14 minutes. Reading were loose in possession and punished by a ruthless Baggies attack. Harry Whitwell took possession in a central attacking earlier and picked out the fine untracked run of Williams and right winger tucked his finish into the corner via a touch from keeper Rhone.

Reading came close to a leveller midway through the first half as they broke on a poor Albion free-kick and Joe Barough fed Tyler Sackey to fire just wide across goal.

Seconds later Royals striker Jeremiah Okine-Peiers fired narrowly over with an acrobatic effort. The visitors were on top as Albion goalkeeper Ben Cisse saved low from Emmanuel Osho.

But the junior Baggies soaked up the pressure and fired a second 10 minutes before the break. Williams won a long Cisse clearance in the air and Sule's pass was perfect for Bostock. The Welsh teen dispatched a perfect finish across goal into the bottom right corner.

Reading struck back moments later through Charlie Wellens - son of ex-pro Richie - and a rocket from 25 yards. Bostock might have re-established the two-goal lead moments later but fired over. Cisse saved from Barough on stroke of half-time.

First-year scholar Crowther netted his second goal for Albion's under-21s with a cool finish on the rebound after Sule struck the post 10 minutes into the restart. It was a nice moment for the highly-regarded midfielder who duly enjoyed his celebration.

Bostock sent another angled drive rising just over the near top corner as Albion threatened to run away with it.

A flurry of late changes stemmed a flow of chances at both ends as the hosts soaked up pressure and tried to threaten on the break.

The closest Beale's side came to a fourth saw sub Dan Chimeziri superbly denied by Rhone, who then saved from fellow sub, a trialist, in the closing moments.

Albion u21s (4-2-3-1): Cisse; Nelson, Hall (c), Parker, Shaw (Humphries, 83); Deeming (Dupont, 76), Crowther; Williams, Whitwell, Bostock (Trialist, 76); Sule (Chimerizi, 76).

Subs not used: Wallis (gk).

Reading u21s: Rhone, Borgnis (George, 87), Stickland (c), Kanu (Duah, 67), Beacroft, Senga, Wellens, Osho (Coke-Miles-Smith, 67), Barough, Sackey (Source, 67), Okine-Peiers.

Subs not used: Morcott.

Referee: Aaron Jackson