Albion Under-21s recorded a thumping victory over Liverpool to seal their first Premier League 2 win of 2025 on Saturday afternoon.
Braces from Reyes Cleary and Eseosa Sule put Richard Beale's Baggies in the driving seat at the LFC Academy, with substitute Dauda Iddrisa chipping in with a late fifth goal to add further shine to a terrific performance on Merseyside.
The triumph lifts the boys from the Black Country up to 19th in the PL2 standings and two points off 12th place - a spot which would earn them passage into the PL International Cup competition next term.
But back to proceedings on Merseyside, and while it was a clinical day for attacking partners Sule and Cleary, an influential display from Akeel Higgins helped carve out numerous openings for the visitors throughout the afternoon.
After driving from the middle of the field and towards the edge of the Reds' eighteen-yard box, Akeel placed a precise pass into Sule's path - which the leading talisman for the PL2 team devastatingly converted to break the deadlock on 14 minutes.
Only a deflection off a home defender prevented Higgins from getting another assist before the halfway point. A superb, cross-field ball down the right flank sent Cleary away towards goal, and although he was partially tackled as he lined up a shot, it didn't stop the 20-year-old chipping calmly over goalkeeper Harvey Davies for 2-0.
Two goals to the good at the break, and it was soon three just a few minutes after the restart - Higgins again showing endeavour and skill to power past a Liverpool defender and cross into Cleary's path, with the striker volleying an awkward, low shot through the home shot-stopper and into the bottom corner.
Good build-up play down the right flank created a fourth for Beale's boys on 86 minutes to all but seal maximum points for the away side. Deago Nelson showed great vision to pick out Sule - who had snuck around the back of his marker - with a left-footed cross, and the forward hit it first time past the helpless Davies between the sticks.
And two substitutes combined four minutes into stoppage time to wrap up a five-star showing for Albion's 21s. Adriel Walker accepted a short corner before taking on his man, dipping a cross towards the back post, where Iddrisa was left unmarked to head in the last goal of the encounter and make it a memorable day for the club's academy graduates.
Beale's PDP group next play in the National League Cup against Sutton United on Tuesday, January 21 (ko 7.30pm), with their next PL2 match coming away at Middlesbrough on Friday, January 24 (ko 1pm).
Albion: Wallis, Nelson, Hall, Diomande, Parker, Humphries (Mohammed 84), Deeming (Kirton 76), Higgins (Walker 83), Cleary (Iddrisa 68), Bostock, Sule.
Substitutes: Cisse.
