Albion Under-21s will face another Premier League 2 test when they head to Derby County on Monday afternoon (ko 1pm).
After losing to Bromley in the Premier League Cup in midweek, Leigh Downing’s academy hopefuls will aim to put the wrongs of Wednesday night right as they make the trip to the East Midlands.
The Baggies beat the young Rams in the league last season, but Monday’s opponents made a winning start to their PL2 season last week when they beat Reading 3-1 on opening day.
Last time out
Albion’s starlets were edged out of a seven-goal thriller in their PL2 opener last weekend.
A turbulent encounter at Leeds United saw the hosts come out on top with a 4-3 victory, with Ryan Colesby, Rio Parmar and Jack Bray on target for the visitors.
Venue
The match will be hosted at Grange Park, home of Long Eaton United.
Pre-match thoughts
Remar McNeil burst onto the U21s scene last season in this very fixture.
The young winger produced an exceptional attacking showing when the Baggies beat the Rams 4-2 at Damson Park in just his fifth PL2 appearance, 12 days away from his 17th birthday.
Since then, McNeil has gone from strength to strength, even featuring in the first-team friendly between Albion and Shrewsbury Town in July. But he knows what he needs to do to emulate the likes of Harry Whitwell and Alex Williams - two academy products currently shining on the senior stage.
And after opening his assist tally against The Whites last week, Remar says his first-team prospects are ‘down to his own performances’ in matches like these.
He said: “The Leeds match was a positive performance from the team overall. We had a lot of opportunities on the day, and they took theirs; we didn’t take ours. On another day, we’d take them, and hopefully get the win.
“It was a very positive attacking performance and we created a lot. It’s just the final bit, the pass, the cross or the finish that would put us ahead in the game.
“It’s a bit of a lesson to us that we need to be clinical in and around the box. We saw what happens if we're not, so we’ve got to relax in front of goal and not rush anything. We’ve had a big focus in training about going in for rebounds and making the most of opportunities inside the penalty area.
“It’s a huge positive that we are getting into the box and creating opportunities for each other. We’ve got great midfielders to help us get into the final third, while our defenders are always looking for the pass to help us get up the pitch.
“I’m a winger who wants to create opportunities for my teammates; it’s about being positive and getting at my man, and I want to get those opportunities to notch goals and assists.
“I’m there to create for my team, and that comes from beating my defender, and I look to add energy to the team and be a positive outlet for us all.
“The main thing I’ve learned from being a part of the first team across pre-season is just how clinical they are. They’re sharp on the ball, and there’s a lot for me to learn there.
“I was really grateful for the opportunity, and it just gives me the drive to want to get more of those. It’s down to me to do that, though, and I need to perform in all of our U21s matches. I need to be positive and bring attacking numbers to the table, because that’s my role within the team ultimately.
“Being in the first team is where I want to be. I’ve been here for 10 years now, and slowly I’m getting there. It’s down to me and my own performances across our PL2 games.
“The player I can really learn from in the first team is Harry Whitwell - he’s doing brilliantly. He’s brave, fearless and wants to make things happen. That’s a role model for me to learn from, and you have to make an impression on the fans and the coaches. You have to be yourself and express yourself as a player.
“Our coaching staff have encouraged me to be myself a lot. If I lose the ball, they want me to win it back and show the best possible reaction.
“We’ve got a great group here - we want to be winning games and have good individual performances. We’re focused on performing at Derby on Monday.”
How to follow
Supporters can keep up to date with Monday’s PL2 fixture by tuning into Albion’s social media feeds.
A match report and highlights will be available after the game.
