Four first-team players earned valuable match minutes on Monday night as Albion's PL2 side suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Fulham.
Nathaniel Chalobah and Pipa both completed the first 45, Tom Fellows played the entirety of the second period, while Caleb Taylor, introduced from the bench early on following an injury, was taken off ten minutes after the interval.
The Cottagers, who had won four out of four ahead of the encounter, secured all three points thanks to strikes from Matthew Dibley Dias and substitutes Chris Donnell and Callum McFarlane.
The opening stages of the encounter were disrupted by three injuries to three different Baggies. Defenders Jamal Mohammed and Alex Williams had to be replaced by Taylor and Josh Shaw respectively, while Chalobah was also down for a period of time but did manage to continue.
It was a half which the visitors dominated and they could’ve gone ahead on two separate occasions midway through the first 45.
A cross from the right was headed towards goal by the unmarked Luke Harris, however Ronnie Hollingshead came to Albion’s rescue with a fine stop. The Baggies keeper was at it again less than 90 seconds later, this time diving low to his right to push away Adrion Pajaziti’s effort from the edge of the area.
But Fulham would go into the interval with the lead courtesy of their skipper Dibley Dias, who powered the ball into the top corner from distance after 43 minutes.
The away side continued to enjoy plenty of the attacking play and had a handful of opportunities to double their tally inside the opening 20 minutes of the second 45.
Winger Oliver O’Neill struck straight at Hollingshead from 18 yards and then nodded over when it looked easier to score moments later. Terrell Works and Jonathon Asenga also tried their luck, but both saw attempts fly well wide.
The Baggies did fall further behind with just over 20 minutes left on the clock though. Asenga’s left-sided cross was easily converted at the back post by Donnell.
Fulham scored their third of the night with six minutes remaining. McFarlane ghosted through to the middle of penalty area and headed into the top corner past a helpless Hollingshead.
ALBION: Hollingshead, Hall ©, Mohammed (Taylor 8 (Whitwell 55)), Harper-Bailey, Pipa (Richards HT), Chalobah (Fellows HT), Mfuamba, Williams (Shaw 19), Heard, Higgins, Love.
