Match Reports

Albion 4-1 Aldershot

An image of Tom Fellows celebrating his goal against Aldershot

Albion eased into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 win over Aldershot Town.

Daryl Dike marked his return from injury by scoring alongside Nathaniel Chalobah and Jovan Malcolm in a first-half where the Baggies netted three.

And Tom Fellows’ excellent 88th-minute finish made it a comfortable afternoon at The Hawthorns.

The victory ensures Carlos Corberán’s men will be in the hat for the fourth round draw on Monday evening.

The boss named a much-changed XI, handing a debut to Academy graduate Fenton Heard and giving Dike his first start since April 2023.

But his team had no trouble finding a crucial early breakthrough, Fellows crossing perfectly for Chalobah - and the midfielder emphatically converting his maiden goal in blue and white.

And that advantage was doubled on the 15-minute mark. The National League side were caught deep, handing Malcolm an opportunity which he duly dispatched.

The highlight of the half undoubtedly came via Dike’s strike, though. The American striker smashed home following pinball in the box, and showed what it meant with a jubilant celebration.

As planned, Dike came off at the interval - debutant Akeel Higgins replacing him - and Corberán also took the opportunity to introduce fellow Academy graduates Layton Love, Harry Whitwell and Josh Shaw later in the second period for their first senior minutes.

The rest of the action came late, Fellows grabbing a deserved goal - Albion’s fourth - a few minutes before the end.

Yet the visitors, cheered on by 4,861 noisy supporters, did get the moment they craved, substitute Oliver Bray hammering in during stoppage time to make the final score 4-1.

Albion: Griffiths; Taylor, Bartley (Kipre 63), Pieters; Fellows, Chalobah, Mowatt (Whitwell 63), Pipa; Heard (Shaw 84), Dike (Higgins 45), Malcolm (Love 73).

Substitutes: Cann, Yokuslu, Mfuamba, Thomas-Asante.

Attendance: 16,345 (4,861).