All five of Albion’s youngsters played for their respective loan teams over the weekend.
Caleb Taylor’s Wycombe Wanderers were dealt a blow in the hunt for automatic promotion after losing 1-0 at home to fellow chasers Wrexham.
The academy graduate played the full 90 at Adams Park - his sixth consecutive start in recent weeks - but was unable to prevent forward Sam Smith from netting in the 78th minute to decide the contest.
Still, hope remains for Caleb’s men, who sit three points behind the second-placed Red Dragons in third, with a game in-hand on their rivals - one they will hope to take advantage of when they play Rotherham on Tuesday night, where a win would take them back into League One's automatic spots.
In the National League, Reyes Cleary’s Hartlepool were pegged back by Solihull Moors on home soil, with the match ending 1-1 at the Prestige Group Stadium.
Cleary lasted the entirety of the clash, featuring at left wing-back, but was unable to steer his team to all three points.
Tom Parkes’ opening goal for the hosts was cancelled out by Manny Duku 14 minutes from time, ensuring the Moors took a point home from their long trip up to the North East. The draw leaves the 20-year-old’s loan club 14th in the standings.
Left-sided defender Josh Shaw has helped turn NL North outfit Marine’s fortunes around in recent months, and that momentum continued this weekend.
An 86th-minute spot-kick was needed to decide matters at Curzon Ashton for Shaw’s side, and the opportunity was duly converted by Jack Hazlehurst to send the travelling Mariners home happy and keep their fine recent form on track.
An incredible turnaround has seen Josh’s loan team win seven of their last nine matches, lifting them to 17th in the table and 11 points above the relegation zone.
Your Mariners this afternoon 👊
1️⃣ change from Tuesday’s win
Josh Wardle comes in for the injured Chris Doyle 🙌
Bailey Sloane and Sam Fielding make the bench 👌 pic.twitter.com/FWYtofR4vP— Marine Football Club (@MarineAFC) March 15, 2025
In the same division, Matt Richards returned from injury to play 17 minutes off the bench for Leamington on Saturday afternoon.
Unlike his fellow Albion team-mate, though, the midfielder couldn’t stop the Brakes from falling to defeat against Chester on their travels, with a ninth-minute strike from Connell Rawlinson enough to keep the points at the Deva Stadium.
Sadly, shot-stopper Ronnie Hollingshead was also on the wrong end of results in the Southern Premier Central League over the weekend, losing 1-0 at Stamford.
Having won their last two league games, Alvechurch will have been disappointed not to have extended that run to three, but another goal in the first 10 minutes proved costly again for another of Albion’s loan players.
The Wales U21 international, who goes away with his nation this month, was between the sticks again for his team and despite the narrow margins in Lincolnshire, the Church remain in the top half of the standings.
