West Brom u21s 0-3 Manchester United u21s – match report
Albion under-21s were unable to take inspiration from their Hawthorns surroundings as visitors Manchester United proved too strong in the second period.
Two of United's three unanswered goals came before the break, but the first half was a competitive affair in which Richard Beale's hosts troubled their visitors' backline in the Premier League 2 clash.
But Aaron Harper-Bailey's own goal edged United ahead before Ethan Ennis doubled the advantage later in the first period. Albion went very close to a deserved goal but the visitors showed their quality after the break.
Charlie McNeill netted a third for United as Beale's side visibly tired late on. Albion remain down in 20th in the 26-strong PL2 table. The Baggies can still qualify among the top 16 sides for the play-offs with three fixtures remaining, beginning in Newcastle on Friday April 5.
It is crunch time for Albion's young scholars, who will discover in the coming days and weeks whether they will receive a first professional contract offer from the club.
Albion had defender Alex Williams and Ollie Bostock, the highly-rated first-year scholar attacker, away on Wales youth duty, as is Albion under-18s defender Rhys Morrish. Goalkeeper Ben Cisse is also set to depart for England under-19s duty.
United monopolised the ball early on but the hosts forced the contest's first opening as Jovan Malcolm's diving header glanced wide across goal from Harry Whitwell's excellent inviting cross from the right flank.
Albion found their feet but were undone on the quarter of an hour as a dangerous low right-sided cross was inadvertently turned past goalkeeper Cisse into his own net by centre-half Harper-Bailey. It was not the first time the visitors threatened from that flank.
The junior Baggies were fortunate not to fall further behind as Harper-Bailey was robbed by United skipper Toby Collyer to go one-on-one against Cisse, but the Albion keeper came out on top with a fine low save.
The hosts recovered well and were inches from an equaliser through a wonderful Eseosa Sule strike on half hour.
The former Celtic youngster was found after a neat move out from the back and his dipping drive from 25 yards crashed down and out off the crossbar. The rebound fell to right-back Deago Nelson, who should have converted but was denied by Elyh Harrison before a sea of bodies kept out another Nelson follow-up.
Albion were punished shortly afterwards as the visitors were allowed forward too quickly. A diagonal ball forward seemed to be going nowhere but Charlie McNeill won the race to the ball and crossed low for Ennis to tap in.
The busy Sule headed over from Nelson's cross as Albion tried to response, while Ennis struck narrowly wide from 20 yards at the other end.
Albion tried to race out on the front foot in the second period and the lively Nelson saw a couple of crosses well cleared from his right flank.
Beale's youngsters struggled to muster the same attacking threat after the break as the boss replaced Sule with Akeel Higgins.
United extended their advantage after the hour as striker McNeill raced on to a through ball and lifted a calm finish over the onrushing Cisse.
The home side tired in a difficult second period as United moved the ball around at will. Albion's only effort on goal came from Malcolm, whose audacious strike from a few yards beyond the centre circle drifted wide.
Cisse prevented a fourth late on from a wonderful, flowing United move by making a smart stop to deny substitute Ethan Williams.
Albion u21s (4-2-3-1): Cisse; Nelson, Harper-Bailey, Hall (c), Shaw; Richards (Phillips, 81), Mfuamba (Deeming, 76); Sule (Higgins, 62), Whitwell, Heard (Kirton, 81); Malcolm.
Subs not used: Foster.
Manchester United (u21s): Harrison, Kambwala, Murray, Baumann (Curley, 78), Ogunneye, Aljofree, Missin (Mantano, 84), Collyer (c), McNeill, Ennis (Williams, 45), Forson.
Subs not used: Plumley, Fredrickson.
Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo
Attendance: 410
