West Brom U21 3 Newcastle U21 4 - Match report
A late winner from Newcastle's Adam Armstrong condemned Albion under-21s to defeat in a seven-goal thriller.
With Wolves head coach Kenny Jackett among the spectators, Albion led 3-2 at half-time at The Hawthorns but were pegged back by Haris Vuckic before Armstrong hit the winner seven minutes from time.
But one big positive was the performance of midfielder George Thorne, in his first competitive action since suffering a serious knee injury in January.
Newcastle broke the deadlock in the eighth minute when Gael Bigirimana's shot from distance crashed in off the bar. Alex Jones levelled for the hosts five minutes later, tapping home his second goal of the season from Bradley Garmston's centre, before Mani O'Sullivan fired the Baggies ahead within a minute.
The goals continued to flow and Newcastle drew level in the 25th minute when Rolando Aarons' cute through-ball was rifled home by Vuckic.
Albion snatched back the lead going into the break. Kemar Roofe made a surging run into the opposition penalty area and found Morgan Ferrier, who drilled the ball into the roof of the net.
Jones was denied by Newcastle keeper Jak Alnwick early in the second half and the visitors then levelled again when Vuckic rifled home a free-kick.
Albion pressed for a winner late on – only to concede the decisive goal. Another piece of brilliance from Vuckic found Armstrong unmarked in the box and the striker made no mistake from six yards out.
Albion (4-2-3-1): Rose; Francis, Atkinson, Gayle, Garmston (C Jones 85); Thorne, O'Neil (Birch 45); Ferrier, O'Sullivan (S Nabi 77), Roofe; Jones. Subs not used: Palmer, Campbell.
