Albion Under-21s were knocked out of the Premier League Cup by Burnley at the semi-final stage on Monday night.
The Baggies had their opportunities in both halves, but clinical finishes from the young Clarets left the visitors with too much ground to make up at Turf Moor, despite Alfie Maughan’s late consolation.
There was a sizeable chance apiece in the opening phases, starting with one for the visitors when, after a smart interchange, skipper Souleyman Mandey watched the space open up in front of him to invite the shot - he obliged, but Oisin Cooney was equal to his low strike.
Burnley responded with a creative ball over the top from Kian McMahon-Brown, who teed up Vernon Masara to fire wide with just goalkeeper Ben Cisse to beat.
Mandey saw another effort saved in similar fashion to the first, and the in-form Eseosa Sule watched his curling finish deflect agonisingly wide of the target - meaning Albion were unable to take the advantage before the break.
Burnley soon punished the visitors moments into the second period. Ellis Clarke hit a sweetly struck volley into the top corner to send the young Clarets ahead.
And the Baggies looked to respond immediately. Midfielder Matt Crowther saw his header float over the crossbar, while Mandey and Hindolo Mustapha sent back-to-back opportunities the wrong side of the post.
The hosts, once again, showed the composure that the young Albion team lacked throughout the night, this time doubling their lead. It was winger Masara who atoned for his earlier miss by firing a calm finish past Cisse for their second.
Full-back Maughan looked to have regained the visitors’ foothold in proceedings as he stabbed home substitute Jack Bray’s lay-off for 2-1, but the latter should’ve equalised with seven left to play, when, with the goal at his mercy, he couldn’t convert Mandey’s cutback - meaning Albion couldn’t muster up the elusive equaliser to save their PL Cup campaign.
Albion: Cisse; Williams, DuPont, Shaw, Maughan; Blackshields, Crowther (Nelson 75’), Whitwell (Bray 62’); Mustapha (Colesby 70’), Sule (Francis-Caesar 62’), Mandey.
Substitutes: Moses (GK).
All photos with thanks to Burnley FC.
