ALBION Under-18s came from behind to beat FA Premier Academy League (Group C) leaders Blackburn 2-1 on Saturday.
The Baggies were forced into a last-hour reshuffle when striker Chris Wood was called away during the warm-up for first-team duty against Bristol City in the wake of Roman Bednar falling ill.
Keith Downing's men also fell behind to a 35th-minute strike against a Rovers side previously only beaten once this term.
But the hosts did not let that faze them as Romaine Sawyers equalised 20 minutes into the second-half and Sam Mantom fired the winner ten minutes from time.
"You can see why they're top," said Downing.
"They're a decent team and play a similar system to us.
"It was a very, very tight game.
"They scored after about 35 minutes when their left-winger cut inside and fired home from 25 yards.
"It was a game where both sides cancelled each other out in the first-half.
"In the second-half we stepped up to the plate a little more and we kept our shape and disciplines better.
"We stuck to a game-plan, managed the situation well, kept persevering and kept our patience.
"We turned it around as a team and through organisation.
"Our two full-backs locked onto their two wide players and stopped them playing.
"And our two centre-halves were very strong and dominant in the second-half.
"At the top end of the field there was some good play to open Blackburn up on occasions.
"It was a tough game and it gives us good confidence going into a difficult youth cup game."
Albion Under-18s visit Swansea in the FA Youth Cup third round tomorrow week (ko 7pm).
ALBION: Allsop, Gayle, Samuels, Mantom, Downing, Malcolm, Berahino, Thorne, Lynch, Sawyers, Brown. Subs not used: Tebbutt (gk), Grier, Lovell, Mannion.
