Josh Maja bagged a brace for Albion’s PL2 team at The Hawthorns in front of the watching Carlos Corberán and his first-team coaching staff on Monday night.
The senior forward, who completed the majority of the encounter, pounced twice inside the opening 25 minutes of the Baggies’ 4-2 victory over Leeds United, firing high into the roof of the net and slamming home from close range.
Fenton Heard opening the scoring and Harry Whitwell ended it, with James Debayo and Sam Chambers on target for the visitors in what was Richard Beale's side's final match of the 2023/24 campaign.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to assert their dominance. Maja drove towards goal and slipped in Heard to his left, with the latter slotting the ball into the far corner beyond Leeds stopper Rory Mahady after eight minutes.
Leeds had a great chance to equaliser just six minutes later when a cross from the right found its way through to Luca Thomas, however the forward crashed an effort against the crossbar from point-blank range.
Albion’s goalscorer Heard then turned provider for Maja, releasing the Nigerian forward down the left side of the box. With space shortening, the club’s No.9 pushed the ball on to his left foot and rocketed an attempt past Mahady.
Maja made it three midway through the period. The Baggies broke forward at speed once again and when Whitwell’s shot was pushed away, Josh was on hand to finish from around 10 yards.
The visitors entered the final third on more than one occasion in the closing stages of the first half, but the home side stood strong and went in with a three-goal advantage.
Albion were keen to add to their tally in the early stages after the interval. Ollie Bostock's strike from the edge of the box deflected just wide, while Maja's effort from 20 yards went straight into the goalkeeper's gloves.
But it was United who scored the game's next goal. Defender Debayo ghosted in between defenders and the Baggies stopper Brad Foster and managed to nod into the net with just 15 left on the clock.
The hosts' lead was cut to one four minutes later. Sam Chambers raced away down the right side of the box and powered the ball through a gap at the near post to make it 3-2.
An unbelievable challenge from Trialist denied Leeds an equaliser moments after their second goal, with Chambers seemingly on hand to score.
With their opponents pushing for a leveller, Albion caught Leeds out and added a fantastic fourth. Whitwell picked up the ball around 40 yards from goal, breezed beyond four players and converted into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to seal all three points.
ALBION: Foster, Williams, Trialist 1 (Trialist 2 HT), Hall, Nelson, Richards (Mfuamba 72), Whitwell, Heard (Higgins 73), Bostock, Malcolm, Maja (Sule 80).
Subs: Brady (GK).
