It was a weekend where Albion’s loan players helped their respective teams go into the automatic promotion places, and even went head-to-head lower down the footballing pyramid.
Centre-half Caleb Taylor has been a mainstay in Wycombe Wanderers’ defence since joining the third-tier outfit on a season’s loan, and he started again to help Matt Bloomfield’s men rise up to second place, keep another clean sheet, and earn a 3-0 home win over Leyton Orient.
Goals from Fred Onyedinma, Daniel Udoh and Cameron Humphreys wrapped up a fourth straight win for Taylor’s team, as the towering defender played another 90 minutes to stretch their unbeaten run in League One to an impressive ten matches.
Elsewhere in England’s third tier, shot-stopper Josh Griffiths and Bristol Rovers were unable to build momentum from their midweek win over Shrewsbury Town on Saturday afternoon.
They fell to a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. After going down to ten men in the 55th minute following Shaq Forde’s dismissal, the Royals struck 11 minutes later through Sam Smith to wrap up the points.
The defeat leaves Josh’s team 16th in the League One standings.
All of the Baggies’ other young loan players took on each other in the Isuzu FA Trophy, with Ronnie Hollingshead and Matt Richards coming out on top over Souleyman Mandey as Alvechurch beat Stourbridge 1-0.
It was midfielder Richards’ debut for the Church having joined them on Friday, and he played the full 90 - along with goalkeeper Hollingshead - to see James Fry’s men through to the second round proper of the competition.
A fine debut from our on-loan @WBA man this afternoon! ✊ pic.twitter.com/LPeKNigX6i
— Alvechurch FC (@Alvechurch1st) October 26, 2024
Austrian youth international Mandey played 58 minutes for the Glassboys before being replaced, and despite exiting the tournament as a result of Ammar Dyer’s first-minute effort, the midfielder has made himself a regular starter under boss Liam McDonald.
The 18-year-old is set to remain at the War Memorial Athletic Ground after impressing during his initial loan period - agreeing to an extension which keeps him in Stourbridge’s squad until the end of January.
