Albion's youngsters opened their 2024/25 PL Cup campaign with an exciting 2-2 draw against Southampton on Friday night.
Cole Deeming's first-half header and Souleyman Mandey's superb last-gasp strike were enough to claim a hard-fought draw in a thrilling encounter at Damson Park.
Albion had the lion's share of the early attacks, and having seen Deeming and Whitwell both come close in the opening stages, it was the former who would break the deadlock on the sixteenth minute.
Meeting a wonderful corner from the left, the midfielder powered home a superb header at the far post to hand Richard Beale's side the advantage.
He might have doubled Albion's lead direct from a corner shortly after, but having cleared the goalkeeper his delivery went inches wide of the far post with no teammate to tap home.
Mfuamba then came close, but his thunderous strike couldn't find the top corner following another Baggies set piece.
The visitors should have levelled with less than a minute of the first period remaining when Noel Buck rose highest to meet a rare Saints corner, but his downward header was wide of the post.
However, the Saints did find an equaliser in first-half added time after Princewill Ehibmatiomhan fired into the bottom corner to beat Ben Cisse.
There was drama at both ends as the second half got going, first in the Albion box when Brandon Charles took advantage of a mistake at the back only to fire over.
Then Eseosa Sule put an effort the wrong side of the post after jinking into the box from the left.
Fenton Heard and Deeming both threatened to re-take the lead, but their efforts were each clawed away by the Saints shot-stopper as Albion looked to push on heading into the final half hour.
Whitwell was next to come close after Heard picked him out on the edge of the six yard box, but his header was straight at the goalkeeper.
The game turned on the 78th minute after the referee awarded the visitors a spot kick, which was duly converted by Ehibmatiomhan - sending Cisse the wrong way.
The Baggies pushed for a route back into the game, and a leveller came in added time when substitute Mandey curled a beautiful strike off the underside of the bar to spark wild celebrations.
There was time for more drama too, with the Baggies striking the post through Adriel Walker as they looked to find another - but there was to be no winner on the night and the game ended 2-2.
Albion: Cisse (GK), Nelson, Diomande (Parker 86), Richards (c), Shaw, Mfuamba (Iddrisa 70), Whitwell, Deeming (Mandey 86), Williams, Sule (Walker 70), Heard.
Subs not used: Wallis.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS BELOW
