A youthful Albion team beat Redditch United on penalties to advance to the semi-finals of the Birmingham Senior Cup on Monday night.
After a goalless first-half, Harry Whitwell struck the Baggies ahead early into the second period at the Trico Stadium.
Reece Flanagan’s equaliser ensured the tie finished 1-1, though, sending it to a penalty shootout.
Brad Foster heroics - combined with some excellent Albion spot-kicks - meant it was Richard Beale's boys who earned a place in the next stage of the competition.
Albion’s young side started well but wasted early opportunities – Rico Richards seeing a finish denied before, shortly after, heading another chance wide.
Foster was called into action twice, stopping shots from Danny King and Max Sheaf, while Ioan Richards and Flanagan also saw efforts go off-target.
Akeel Higgins might have given the visitors the lead on the stroke of half-time, however goalkeeper Adam Harrison denied his poke at close-range.
The Baggies, encouraged by a decent first period, came out quickly following the break and took the lead 50 minutes in – Higgins’ skilful run setting up Whitwell to slide home.
Their advantage was cancelled out, though, when Flanagan converted the rebound of an initially well-saved penalty.
Neither team could find a winner in normal time so the contest was, instead, to be decided by a penalty shootout.
And it was Albion who advanced to the last-four of this season’s competition, winning 7-6 on spot-kicks – goalkeeper Foster saving consecutive penalties at the end to send the Baggies through.
Albion: Foster, Hall, Nguepissi (Williams 80), Harper-Bailey, Humphries, M Richards, Wangusi (Tobi 80), Whitwell, Higgins (Sule 65), R Richards (Love 31), Heard.
Substitutes: Brady.
Photos courtesy of @GEvansPhotography.
