Albion Under-21s will travel to Bromley for their first Premier League Cup group match on Wednesday evening (7pm).
The young Baggies were narrowly beaten 4-3 by Leeds United in their PL2 opener on Sunday afternoon, but will take great courage from their promising attacking performance in Yorkshire.
Leigh Downing’s team take to Group H of the competition, with them set to face The Ravens, Coventry City and Ipswich Town both home and away, with the view of heading through to the knockout rounds.
Last time out
Wednesday’s match is the young charges’ first PL Cup encounter of the campaign, but they do have a rich history in the tournament across previous years.
Having beaten rivals Wolves to win the competition in 2022, the Baggies reached the semi-finals last time out, where they were narrowly edged out by Burnley at Turf Moor.
Venue
Albion visit The CopperJax Community Stadium on Wednesday.
Bromley’s home ground is currently seeing Sky Bet League One action for the first time in the club’s history, and they’ll surely look to continue a trend of progression when their academy starlets take to the stage in the PL Cup this week.
Pre-match thoughts
Carter Pinnington is settling into life well at the Baggies, having joined from Liverpool in the summer.
The young defender moved to the Midlands after experiencing the tumultuous nature of the Reds’ busy academy schedule, which includes the UEFA Youth League, EFL Trophy, and Premier League International Cup - alongside their usual league duties.
And the 19-year-old is set to play in the PL Cup for the first time on Wednesday, a competition which carries great importance for Albion having won the trophy in 2022 - and even more so after coming within touching distance of the final last term.
Pinnington looks forward to his PL Cup bow, and insists he wants to contribute to the young Baggies’ successes in 2026/27, starting with the midweek trip to Bromley.
He said: “I’ve settled in really well here so far. Everyone in the club has been really welcoming since day one and I’ve been enjoying every day with the group and staff.
“The lads have been brilliant with me. I’ve made friends already and managed to settle in well. Jack Bray has helped me to settle in really well, but the whole group has been massively helpful.
“I’ve never played in the PL Cup before, so it’ll be another experience to add to my career so far. It’s one I’m looking forward to. I’m told how close the group got last time and I know we all want to go a couple of steps further than in 2025/26 and I want to help contribute to that success. We’re all very confident ahead of the new season and we hope to achieve great things.
“I’ve played in a lot of different competitions across my career so far and I’ve had some good memories. I’m going to do my best to help the team as much as possible and hopefully that’ll contribute to having success in the competitions we are in this season.
“We had a meeting a few days ago about our targets for the upcoming season and we’re hoping to go far in each of the competitions we participate in this season. But we all know how special this competition is to the club. They won it a few years ago and got to the semi-finals last year, which has inspired everyone to try and go all the way this year.
“Bromley will be a tough test for us. The team are in a really strong position and we just need to do our thing, play the way we know we can, and I’m sure we can come away with all three points.
“The staff have really instilled in us that a win would put us in the best possible position moving forward. We’re all in agreement with that, and we’ll go into this game knowing we must do everything to get off to the best possible start in the competition.
“I’m extremely excited for the season ahead. I know I’m at a great club and I’m really looking forward to kicking on now. I want to show everyone what I’m capable of and to take the opportunities when they come to me.”
How to follow
For any Baggies supporters wishing to make the trip down to South London, tickets can be purchased here.
Tickets are priced at £5 for adults, £3 for those 17 and under, while tickets are free for those 13 and under.
There will be no live coverage of the PL Cup encounter owing to Albion’s first-team match on the same day.
A match report and highlights will be available on the club website after the fixture.
