Albion Under-21s suffered their first National League Cup group-stage defeat of the season at the hands of Sutton United on Tuesday evening.
Leigh Downing’s youngsters took the lead after just nine minutes when Rio Parmar put the visitors ahead, only to find themselves 2-1 down 10 minutes later thanks to a quickfire home double.
Omar Mussa extended the U’s advantage at The 360 Engage Stadium, but despite late pressure, Justin Seven-Seven’s 77th-minute strike remained no more than a consolation.
The result still has the Baggies in contention for the knockout stages of the competition, nonetheless, with a trip to Truro City their final group-stage destination on Tuesday, November 3.
Tuesday’s match began perfectly for the club’s academy starlets when Alfie Maughan swung an inviting left-footed ball into the centre of the box, leaving forward Parmar to pinch a yard ahead of his marker and nod away the opener.
Unfortunately for Albion, the hosts found an instant response. Charlie Bell carved a path out to cross towards the back post, where Sam Folarin was waiting to head past a bundle of visiting bodies to equalise.
Seven minutes later, Sutton took the lead, with Bell again the architect - his cross wasn’t dealt with by the Baggies’ back line, and it fell to Bobby Amartey - allowing him to score their second of the evening.
The visitors responded at the start of the second period as the Trialist forward saw an effort go wide, and another was saved at full stretch by Chris Haigh, while Dan Urpens struck a volley which hit the bar to the hosts' disappointment.
Moments after sending the ball into the stand from a promising position, substitute Mussa stroked away a third for the U’s before Seven-Seven, on his first appearance for the U21s since injury, poked in a visiting second in response.
Though they had opportunities afterwards, Albion couldn’t convert them, and were sent back home with nothing to show for their impressive efforts against senior opposition.
Albion: Wallis; Maughan, Perkins, DuPont, Letlat; McNeil (Lucas 75’), Blackshields (Shaw 75’), Colesby, Dlamini (Seven-Seven 75’), Trialist (Dexter 67’), Parmar (French 86’).
Cover image | Paul Loughlin / @paulloughlin
