Albion Under-21s were narrowly beaten by Leeds United in a seven-goal thriller to open their PL2 campaign on Sunday afternoon.
The young Baggies came back from a goal behind to put themselves in front just before half time courtesy of Ryan Colesby and Rio Parmar, but soon found themselves trailing not long after.
Three Whites strikes within 14 minutes, including two from eventual hat-trick hero Carrick Njinko set the hosts away with an unassailable 4-2 advantage.
And Leigh Downing’s young charges couldn’t overturn the deficit, despite Leeds being reduced to ten men and Harry French’s late consolation goal just moments from time.
The Baggies began the brighter of the two sides - Rio Parmar’s low shot across goal forced Darryl Ombang into a save at full stretch in the early stages.
But it was Leeds who grabbed the upper hand in proceedings, No.9 Njinko stuttered beyond two visiting challenges to drive a strike beyond Joe Wallis and hand the hosts the lead.
The visitors responded just before half-time, midfielder Colesby caught Ombang off guard, as his long-range attempt slipped through the goalkeeper’s fingertips to level the score.
Downing’s hopefuls soon completed their temporary two-minute turnaround. Alfie Maughan found Remar McNeil at the far post, leaving the winger an opportunity to prod across goal for the well-timed run of Parmar, who was on hand to tap home the away side’s second.
The hosts soon got back into the ascendancy after half-time, though, as Njinko made the most of another yard of space afforded by the Baggies’ back-line and powered another effort into the bottom corner.
Winger McNeil’s pace set him away on the counter-attack from an opposition corner, and he almost made it all the way to an incredible solo effort, had it not been for the feet of Ombang - who got down low to stop the 17-year-old from finding the net.
Jacob Render found the top corner for the Whites just before the hour mark, prior to finding Njinko in the penalty area to prod home his hat-trick, and Leeds’ fourth.
Full-back Louie Phillpot was sent off for a second bookable offence after hauling down McNeil as the winger looked to break into the penalty area, while Harry French clinically converted a late opportunity.
But all in all, the young Baggies came back from Yorkshire with nothing to show for their efforts.
Albion: Wallis; Iddrisa (Mohammed 76’), DuPont, Pinnington, Maughan; McNeil, Colesby, Blackshields (Lucas 46’), Parmar (Letlat 74’); Francis-Caesar (Bray 64’), French.
Substitutes: Brady.
Photos with thanks to Leeds United
