PL2

Albion PL2 5 Brighton PL2 1

GARETH McAuley made his long-awaited comeback from injury as Albion's Premier League 2 team recorded a 5-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at The Hawthorns.

Goals from Evan Pierce, Robbie McCourt, Alex Bradley, Rayhaan Tulloch and Finn Azaz gave James Shan's side their first points of the season in a game that saw McAuley complete 45 minutes.

Claudio Yacob, Oliver Burke and Sam Field also featured in the win, although Burke was replaced midway through the first half as a precaution after reporting a tight hamstring.

Brighton went close on seven minutes when James Tilley's curling shot couldn't quite find the back of the net.

But it was Albion who took the lead five minutes later when Yacob's cross was headed in by Pierce.

Near the hour mark the Baggies doubled their lead when Field's clever pass found McCourt, who made no mistake in firing the ball home.

Not long after a quick free-kick caught Albion out as Henrik Bjordal cleverly finished past Alex Palmer from inside the box to pull a goal back for Brighton.

With around quarter of an hour to go Bradley got on the scoresheet as Tulloch's initial effort hit the post and the substitute was on hand to tap it in.

Albion weren't done there though, as Tulloch won and then scored a penalty with around 10 minutes to go before Finn Azaz got the Baggies' fifth and final goal of the evening in added time.

ALBION: Palmer, Ferguson, McCourt, Yacob (Azaz 45), Jameson, McAuley (Soleman 45), Burke (Bradley 18), Field, Pierce, Tulloch, Edge.

Subs: House, Rogers.

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