Albion were defeated by fifth-tier Dagenham & Redbridge in their second National League Cup Group D game on Tuesday night.
Joshua Umerah and Jason Adigun gave the home team a 2-0 lead in the game, but Dan Chimeziri’s second goal in as many games in the 21s gave the visitors momentum heading into the closing stages.
Their chances were boosted by Paul Kalambayi’s dismissal for the Daggers, but the young Baggies couldn't work it in their favour - falling to a narrow loss at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Professional Development Phase boss Richard Beale handed first starts in his side this season to scholars Divine Onyemachi (second-year) and Matt Crowther (first-year) on the night.
Both were bright on a rowdy bonfire night in Dagenham, but it was New Zealand U20 international Joe Wallis who impressed in the first 45 - producing five or six good saves to keep the hosts at bay.
Albion had some great opportunities of their own to take the lead. Harry Whitwell’s good work laid the ball on a plate for Crowther, who should’ve scored, but fired wide after his clever burst to connect with the ball.
Leading 21s scorer Whitwell forced a save from Daggers shot-stopper Nathan Harvey, while Kalambayi almost headed into his own net as the visitors threatened from set plays.
Still, the hosts saw most of the ball and gained an advantage going in at the interval thanks to Umerah, who positioned himself well in the area to meet a cross from the right to open the scoring.
Shortly after the restart, the Baggies found themselves 2-0 down - Adigun directing a good effort into the top corner beyond Wallis to increase Dagenham's breathing space.
Beale’s men showed a good reaction to the setback, though, and halved the deficit when second-year scholar Chimeziri latched onto Crowther’s long ball before rounding the keeper and finishing calmly into the bottom corner.
Albion gained a numerical advantage four minutes later when Kalambayi was shown a straight red card for felling striker Eseosa Sule, who would’ve been in on goal had it not been for a tangle with the home defender.
Momentum was with Beale's boys for the remaining stages of the encounter as the young Baggies pushed for a leveller. But, frustratingly, they couldn’t fully profit from the opposition dismissal, and suffered a first defeat in the tournament.
Albion: Wallis, Williams, Diomande (Blackshields 87), Parker, Dupont (Morrish 83), Nelson (Maughan 46), Richards (c), Crowther, Whitwell (Chimeziri 46), Onyemachi (Walker 46), Sule.
Substitutes: Brady.
