Senior duo Semi Ajayi and Daryl Dike both featured in Albion’s 3-1 Premier League 2 victory over Newcastle United on Monday night.
Striker Dike, who hasn’t been involved for the first team since February 2024, completed a planned half-hour at Solihull Moors’ Damson Park.
Defender Ajayi, meanwhile, played the entirety of the first half having last appeared for Albion at the end of October.
Akeel Higgins’ stunner in the opening period was followed up by two fine finishes from Eseosa Sule in the second 45. The Magpies pulled on back late on through Jay Turner-Cooke, but that proved to be little more than a consolation strike.
Albion were dominant throughout on what was a rainy night in the West Midlands and almost went ahead twice before Higgins’ spectacular opener – Harry Whitwell and Sule forcing efforts at goal.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute. Higgins picked up the ball, drove forward and unleashed a powerful shot from the best part of 30 yards which flew over James Taylor’s head and into the top corner.
Whitwell then saw a free-kick tipped over by Taylor, while Deago Nelson found the stopper too tough to beat after dancing through a number of challenges on the edge of the box.
Richard Beale’s boys quickly doubled their lead after the interval, though. Michael Parker darted down the left and picked out Sule inside the area, with the striker side-footing home from a central area just three minutes into the half.
The Baggies continued to look for more goals. Captain Reece Hall fired just wide and Sule crashed an effort over the bar having been teed up by Whitwell.
But a third did arrive with 18 minutes remaining. A loose ball on the edge of the penalty area was picked up by Sule and the striker pushed past his man, took aim, and powered a strike under Taylor from a tight angle.
Turner-Cooke ruined Albion’s hopes of a clean sheet in spectacular fashion for Newcastle late on, curling a left-footed shot into the top corner.
The visitors had the ball in the back of the net again in added time, but the offside flag came to the hosts’ rescue.
The triumph lifts the club’s youngsters up to 16th in the standings and extends their unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions.
ALBION: Wallis, Nelson, Ajayi (McDonald HT), Mohammed (Mandey 73), Parker, Hall ©, Mfuamba (Iddrisa 8), Whitwell, Sule, Higgins, Dike (Diomande 30).
Subs: Cisse (GK).
Catch the WBA TV footage in the video below.
