MICHAEL Appleton has highlighted Albion Under-18s' performance against reigning champions Manchester City on Saturday as the benchmark - despite suffering an undeserved last-gasp 2-1 defeat.

The Baggies led City 1-0 at half-time thanks to in-form striker Lateef Elford-Alliyu's seventh goal in five FA Premier Academy League games.

The hosts levelled and the match looked to be heading for a draw before the referee awarded a harsh penalty against the Baggies for an alleged foul by Josh Knight.

Knight was booked for the challenge and received a second yellow card and his marching orders for his protests at the decision.

Appleton said: "We played very, very well for 70 minutes.

"We had a lot of compliments from their staff after the game saying we outplayed them.

"And it's a big compliment because they are the benchmark.

"We played some fantastic stuff but over-complicated it at times in the last third by trying to score the perfect goal.

"They won a dubious penalty in the final minute and got the winner from it.

"Josh chatted back to the referee and he knows he shouldn't have, and that he lost his discipline.

"It tarnished his own performance because he played very well until then.

"It was a great team performance but things just didn't go for us.

"That's the benchmark now.

"We need to stop conceding late goals though, which is about concentration."

The Baggies visit Everton on Saturday (ko 11am).

ALBION: Allsop; Pike, Clarke, Hancox, Saied; Samuels, Downing (Mantom 60), Knight, Sawyers; Lake-Gaskin, Elford-Alliyu (Brown 70). Subs not used: Lynch, Wood, Lovell.

Women

Albion ladies recorded a second successive 4-2 victory in the Midland Combination Main League as they beat TNS/Shrewsbury yesterday.

Natasha Baptiste bagged a double to add to Hayley Moore and Hayley Phillipowsky strikes. 

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