ALBION Under-23s were defeated by a clinical Newcastle United side despite an encouraging performance at Whitley Park.
Jamie Smith’s young team, which included six scholars, dominated the opening 20 minutes of the game and struck the post twice, Morgan Rogers the unfortunate player on both occasions.
A brilliant attacking move midway through the first-half finally saw the Baggies open the scoring, though, when Nick Clayton-Phillips finished well from inside the area.
Sam Wilding had a header scrambled off the line as Albion looked to double their lead, but instead it was Newcastle who turned the game on its head - George Harmon putting the ball into his own net minutes before Oisin McEntee smashed home from close-range.
After the break it was the Magpies who started stronger and furthered their advantage when Achraf Lazaar’s cross was headed in at the back post by Rosaire Longelo.
The Baggies then hauled themselves back in the match on 69 minutes when Jamie Soule converted Rayhaan Tulloch’s cross following a superb run by the England youth international.
Soule side-footed over soon after as Albion threw everything at Newcastle in a desperate attempt to earn a deserved point on Tyneside.
However, it was United that claimed the all-important sixth goal to seal the win as Yannick Toure’s low strike went in off the post with less than 15 minutes remaining.
ALBION: Palmer, Solanke (Soule 60), Wilding, Healy; Gardner-Hickman, Meredith, Azaz, Harmon; Rogers, Tulloch, Clayton-Phillips (Allen 60).
Substitutes: House, Taylor, Brown.