A young and inexperienced Albion were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Sky Bet League One side Cambridge United on Friday night.
Only four of the starting XI at the Cledara Abbey Stadium had played a competitive game for the Baggies – defender Caleb Taylor, midfielder Fenton Heard and attackers Akeel Higgins and Mo Faal.
The only goal of the encounter arrived after 12 minutes when Shayne Lavery dispatched a penalty.
Albion’s youngsters almost made a dream start. Deago Nelson’s delicious delivery from the right was nodded into the net by Faal, however, the offside flag was quickly raised to deny the towering forward a goal within the opening three minutes.
Sixty seconds later, summer signing Joe Wildsmith pulled off a terrific save to prevent the hosts from taking the lead. Danny Andrew had a crack from distance, but the former Derby stopper dived high to his left to push the effort out for a corner.
He could do nothing 12 minutes in though when the U’s did go in front. Reece Hall fouled Shayne Lavery inside the box and the forward picked himself up to convert from the spot.
Cambridge had two opportunities to add to their tally before the interval. James Gibbons’ strike from the edge of the box was saved by Wildsmith before Nelson bravely blocked a powerful shot from Andrew on the left side of the area.
The Baggies delivered an energetic and spirited second-half showing.
Substitutes Divine Onyemachi and Mo Diomande both tried their luck. Onyemachi's long-range drive was comfortably saved by Vicente Reyes, before Diomande volleyed over from Cole Deeming's corner.
But the visitors' biggest chance fell to forward Reyes Cleary when he was slipped in down the left side of the box with less than 10 minutes remaining. Cleary got a shot away with his right foot, but Cambridge's Reyes denied Albion's.
Plenty of positive performances from several young players, but it was the Sky Bet League One hosts who secured the pre-season victory.
ALBION: Wildsmith (Cann 61), Nelson, Taylor (Diomande HT), Hall (Mandey 61), Deeming, Richards, Mfuamba (Dauda 61), Sule (Cleary 61), Heard (Onyemachi HT), Higgins (Chimeziri 81), Faal (Walker 61).
Subs: Trialist.
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