Albion Under-23s battled to a deserved 3-1 victory against Sunderland Under-23s in a Premier League 2 Division Two game at Aggborough.
Jamie Soule bagged a goal in each half for the Baggies, before Rayhaan Tulloch secured the spoils for Jamie Smith’s side in injury time.
Morgan Rogers missed a penalty in the first-half, whilst Sunderland's Benjamin Kiompoka had a goal ruled out for offside. The visitors' only goal of the game came through Lee Connelly.
The Baggies went close early on through a Tulloch chip after Max Melbourne had lofted a ball over the Black Cats defence.
And Albion did take the lead minutes later, as Rogers latched onto a scuffed clearance and hit a low cross onto Soule’s foot, who tapped home from close range.
Smith’s side looked to extend the lead. Tulloch fizzed a low ball across the Sunderland defence, which Soule met with a side-foot, but unfortunately he couldn’t keep it down.
Against the run of play, Sunderland equalised. Alex Palmer saved a fierce Daniel Niel shot, but could only push it into the path of Lee Connelly, who stroked home from close range for the visitors.
Rogers then won and missed a penalty for Albion after he was brought down by Brandon Taylor.
The visitors came close again. Connelly dragged a shot into the path of Benjamin Kimpioka, who prodded in from the edge of the six-yard box but was ruled to be in an offside position.
After the break, Albion became the dominant side. Moments after the post denied Tulloch, the Baggies recycled the ball and Finn Azaz whipped a cross which Soule met to put Smith’s side ahead once more.
The Baggies looked comfortable with their lead and the visitors strugged to create any meaningful chances - with their best attempt coming from a low Bali Mumba strike which Palmer matched with relative ease.
Albion’s second consecutive Premier League 2 Division Two victory would be secured in stoppage time for Smith’s side, as Rogers jinxed his way into the box before teeing up Asomugha, but his shot was blocked, with the rebound falling to Tulloch, who finished from close range.
ALBION: Palmer; Gardner-Hickman, Ferguson, Melbourne, Solanke, Harmon; Wilding, Azaz; Rogers; Soule (Asomugha 83), Tulloch.
Substitutes: Healy, Pierce, Brown, Martinez.