PL2

Albion 5-0 Stoke City | PL2 Report

Devante Cole smiling while wearing a club tracksuit

Senior trio Devante Cole, Callum Styles and Gianluca Frabotta all earned valuable match minutes on Sunday afternoon as Albion's PL2 team defeated Stoke City 5-0.

Cole bagged a brace, notching the Baggies' second and final strikes, with Harry Whitwell also hitting the net twice.

Frabotta was also on target, finding the bottom corner from distance with a fantastic free-kick. 

Cole and Frabotta completed the full 90, while Styles played just over an hour. 

Harry Whitwell in action for Albion's PL2 team in the home kit
Teenage midfielder Harry Whitwell bagged a brace against the Potters

The first effort of the encounter came courtesy of Styles, who stung the top of the crossbar from a well-struck free-kick from 25 yards ten minutes in.

Richard Beale's side dominated the opening stages and deservedly went ahead when Whitwell won the ball back high up the pitch, drove towards goal and found Cole. The forward's effort was blocked, but Whitwell was on hand to rustle the net with the outside of his boot from six yards. 

Less than 90 seconds later in was 2-0. Cole picked up the ball on the left side of the box and curled a beauty into the top corner. 

Whitwell could've made it 3-0 before the break, but he fired over from the edge of the area. 

Gianluca Frabotta waving to Albion fans at The Hawthorns in the home kit
Gianluca Frabotta scored a super free-kick on Sunday

The hosts wasted no time in extending their advantage after the interval. Frabotta's free-kick from around 27-yards flew into the bottom corner in the 50th minute, leaving Stoke stopper Noah Cooper with no chance.

The Potters wasted two good opportunities to get back into the match before the hour. Will Smith's attempt was tipped over by Ted Cann and Dean Adekoya then nodded over with the goal gaping. 

Albion made it four with 19 minutes remaining. A ball played into the box from the right was delicately laid back to Whitwell on the edge of the box by Cole, and the midfielder crashed a shot beyond Cooper to put the result beyond doubt. 

The fifth and final goal arrived courtesy of Cole in added time. The striker waited for a cross from the right and the ball sat up perfectly for him to place it into the far corner from a few yards out. 

ALBION: Cann, Nelson, Richards, Shaw (Deeming 61), Frabotta, Styles (Iddrisa 61), Mfuamba, Whitwell, Heard (Sule 80), Cole, Higgins (Williams 70).

Subs: Cisse (GK).

  • PL2
  • Cole
  • Frabotta
  • Styles