FA Cup: West Brom 4 Aldershot 1 - Report

Carlos Corberan handed senior debuts to five academy prospects - including Fenton Heard as a starter - as striker Daryl Dike also marked his return with a goal after nine months injured.

Nathaniel Chalobah, Jovan Malcolm and Dike netted inside half hour to break the spirit of the National League visitors, whose sold-out away end were loud throughout.

Tom Fellows, like Chalobah, netted his first Albion goal late on before the Shots rewarded their travelling fans with a stoppage-time consolation - but it was a third round day to remember for the club's academy, with 11 youngsters involved.

Corberan had hinted at six of his starters in his pre-match press conference and managed to strike a perfectly balance of youth and experience, given the injuries hitting his squad.

There was an eye-catching senior debut for Heard, the Great Barr-born 19-year-old club at the club since aged seven who had never previously troubled the bench and was rewarded for fine recent under-21s form. Heard did travel to Swansea on New Year's Day but wasn't selected.

Corberan did have injuries to contend with and both Martin Kelly and Adam Reach were available who would've otherwise started amid the rotation. Regulars including Jed Wallace, John Swift and Jayson Molumby missed out with knocks, among others.

The head coach stuck to his word with Dike's selection and the United States international paid back that decision with a tremendous finish and emotional celebration to mark the comeback.

Alex Mowatt and Kyle Bartley, first-team regulars this term, were required from the off and coasted through their roles. In some positions it looked like men against boys.

The Shots, managed by Tommy Widdrington, missed Portsmouth loan defender Haji Mnoga, on AFCON duty, and rather cruelly were without talented top scorer Josh Stokes, who served a one-match ban for two yellow cards last time out.

The visitors turned round their hosts in a bid to take advantage of the first half by attacking towards the sold-out boisterous away end, in the end it did anything but.

Academy graduate Malcolm, 21, recently recalled from a difficult loan at Cheltenham, had already troubled the side netting before the hosts' seventh-minute lead.

It was a wonderful goal and owed to Albion's youthful right flank. Heard and Fellows combined wonderfully for the latter to be sent scampering near the byline.

His low cross was typically perfect for the older and experienced head of Chalobah, who was extremely composed to cushion a half-volley into the top corner for his first goal in blue and white. It was a lovely goal.

The opener took all of the sting out of the tie. To the away end's credit it didn't silence the travelling Shots fans, but it knocked all of the stuffing out of the visitors.

It was one-way traffic and seven minutes later Corberan's side doubled their lead at a canter.

This time it was the turn of Malcolm to make no mistake with a cool finish, but it was a goal of Aldershot's own making. Defender Cian Harries dawdled and was punished. He lost the ball outside the right of his box and Dike allowed youngster Malcolm in. He took his time before dispatching a low finish for his second third round goal after netting last season.

Fellows flew down the flank at every time of asking and Dike put himself about. The returning striker headed before his big moment before half hour.

Aldershot struggled to deal with set-pieces all afternoon and a Mowatt delivery from the left went uncleared and hit skipper Stuart O'Keefe for Dike to hammer a thumping finish into the top corner from 10 yards.

There was a child-like enthusiasm in his celebration as the low-key home crowded chanted the striker's name.

It was job done by 27 minutes but Albion might've had more in a rampant first half. Dike was denied from distance and the Shots scrambled clear.

The second period was a far, far quieter affair. Corberan introduced Akeel Higgins for a debut for Dike and Harry Whitwell, Layton Love and Josh Shaw also entered for senior bows.

The hosts' tempo dropped but all of the young additions went looking for the ball. Aldershot huffed and puffed, desperate for a goal for their near-5,000 travelling fans, but quality fell desperately short.

Pipa hooked just wide from the excellent Fellows before Tipton-born sub Love squandered a glorious chance at a debut to remember by blazing into a gleeful Smethwick End.

To his credit, Love was involved as Whitwell's fine through pass released Fellows for a fourth and his first career goal.

Shots sub Kwame Thomas appeared to have scuppered his side's chance at a goal in stoppage time, but Oliver Bray shot through Josh Griffiths' hands for nothing more than a consolation.

Teams

Albion (3-4-3): Griffiths; Taylor, Bartley (c) (Kipre, 62), Pieters; Fellows, Chalobah, Mowatt (Whitwell, 62), Pipa; Heard (Shaw, 84), Dike (Higgins, 45), Malcolm (Love, 73).

Subs not used: Cann, Thomas-Asante, Yokuslu, Mfuamba.

Aldershot (3-5-2): van Stappershoef; Harries, Rowe, Harfield; Gloves (Bray, 85), Widdrington (Willard, 60), O'Keefe (c) (Thomas, 73), Frost, Scott; Barham (Jones, 85), Tolaj.

Subs not used: Westen, Haigh, Burnett, Mullins, Turner.

Attendance: 16,345 (4,861 Aldershot Town fans)

Referee: Anthony Backhouse