Richard Beale heaps huge praise on 'elite winner' in West Brom's under-21s

The junior Baggies were undone at the death as the south Wales visitors struck deep into stoppage time to edge a contest dominated by Albion 2-1.

The hosts fell behind in unusual circumstances inside 10 minutes at The Hawthorns as goalkeeper Ben Cisse conceded an unfortunate own goal but from then on in Beale's side dominated and forced several openings. Highly-rated Bostock, a 17-year-old Wales under-19 international left winger, finally bagged a deserved leveller 15 minutes from time but the night ended with disappointment.

"Ollie's got bags of potential, he's a great lad. Those two factors combined give him a great chance," Beale told the Express & Star of Lichfield-based Bostock, who joined the club aged six.

"That's his first 90 minutes for a long time, he's had an injury and is just coming back from it.

"I'm really pleased for Ollie to get on the scoresheet, he's a player we really rate and believe in, that's everybody at the club. He's got to keep doing what he's doing for his own development.

"He's one we have to drag off the training pitch and somebody that has a really good attitude. He's a winner. He has a lot of elite characteristics, it's about fine-tuning them, growing into his body and growing up as a young man to try to affect the first team."

Bostock has just returned from a frustrating calf setback that denied him involvement in more first-team friendlies and a likely senior debut at Fleetwood in the EFL Cup in August having previously been involved in Carlos Corberan's pre-season.

The teen, who does not turn 18 until February, took his late equaliser with aplomb and was a bright spark with direct and tricky dribbling from the left all evening.

Boss Beale was very content with a lot of what he saw despite the Premier League Cup defeat, although reserved a message for dealing with "basics".

"I thought the lads, especially the longer the game went on, played better and better, there was lots there tonight that I was pleased with," he added.

"We missed lots of chances, which is frustrating for everybody, because of course you want to win every game.

"But as young players, we just said in the changing room, they have got to learn to deal with the basics. We've been undone with a couple of long balls we haven't dealt with very well.

"You aren't going to get in anyone's first team if you can't do that, ultimately. So those involved in that have to learn.

"So that's the disappointing thing, but I think we were excellent, certainly in the second half. We played good, free-flowing football, were on the front foot, got the equaliser and then went for it, we weren't sitting back. It was a blow but it is what it is, they are great lessons to learn."

Albion's under-21s, who from this season play most of their home fixtures at Solihull Moors, started the PL2 season with heavy defeats to Newcastle and Norwich but the head coach, in his fourth season at the helm, has been very impressed with the mentality in which his troops have been able to respond since.

"Pre-season was excellent, there was lots of exposure to the first-team, young players in and around Carlos' sessions and played games," Beale said.

"As a result the team dynamics and shape was not where you'd want, hence a couple of big defeats. But as more players came in, a few of those came back, we were able to do a lot of good work. Ultimately it's about making individuals better to get into the first team.

"On the flip side when the boys are spending more time together you can get them working more fluidly, that gradually showed.

"The lads showed great character to come back from those defeats. We beat Chelsea, had two really good performances against Southampton and beat Stoke. It's always a mixed back at under-21s level. The aim is to create the next Tom Fellows which we're making hard to do. There are always ones that don't make it, it's about making them as good as they can be."