Albion earn comfortable victory over Torquay United
SAMIR Nabi will never forget his 18th birthday, after stealing the show with four goals in Albion’s comfortable 8-1 FA Youth Cup win over Torquay United.
The midfielder scored twice in each half as Aaron Danks’ men ran rampant at the Hawthorns in the driving rain.
Jonathan Leko, Andre Wright, Tahvon Campbell and Joseph Ward were also on target, as Albion marched into the fourth round where they will meet the winners of Nottingham Forest and MK Dons.
Nabi scored his first of the night after 24 minutes, driving through the heart of the Torquay defence before unleashing a fierce strike into the bottom right-hand corner.
He then got his and Albion’s second, capitalising on an error from Torquay ‘keeper Dan Lavercombe.
However the visitors pulled one back on the stroke of half-time through Jonathan Smith, who headed home at the near post following a set-piece.
Nabi completed his hat-trick and restored Albion's two-goal lead four minutes after the break, with a delightful curling effort from the edge of the area.
Jonathan Leko then made it four just past the hour mark, showing fancy footwork to beat his opponent before displaying composure to gently lift the ball over the onrushing Lavercombe.
Nabi, younger brother to Adil, tapped home at the back post into an empty net for his fourth of the night after 64 minutes.
Andre Wright, who had been unfortunate not to find himself on the scoresheet earlier, then made it six on 74 minutes, connecting with Jack Hallahan’s driven cross at the near post.
Tahvon Campbell added a seventh with ten minutes to go, with a sublime strike which curled into the far corner from the edge of the area.
And Joseph Ward completed the scoring in added time, smashing home into an empty net after Lavercombe could only parry Tahvon Campbell’s effort.
Albion: Ross, Ezewele, McCourt, Gannon, Cleet, Fitzwater, Roberts, S.Nabi (Campbell 76’), Wright (Smith 75’), Ward, Leko (Hallahan 67’)
Unused Subs: Hall, Barbir.