First-half goals condemn Albion to PL2 defeat

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A young MU21s lost 2-0 to Wolves on Monday night.

Bruce Talbot

2022-08-22T19:59:00Z

Men's Young Player of the Season Jack Hinshelwood.

A young Albion side went down 2-0 to Wolves in Monday night’s Premier League 2 encounter at Kidderminster Harriers’ Aggborough Stadium.

It was a youthful selection with none of the starters in an admittedly strong XI which drew 1-1 against Liverpool eight days ago in action.

And we found it tough after Wolves took control with two goals in six minutes midway through the first half, leaving Albion with one point from their first three games.

Samy Chouchane.

The possession stats were fairly even throughout, but Wolves carried the greater attacking threat especially in the first half.

In the first meeting at this level since December 2019, Albion were forced back early on and they fell behind in the 24th minute when Chem Campbell’s left-wing cross was headed inside James Beadle’s far post by a stooping Harvey Griffiths, who scored when the teams had met in the FA Youth Cup quarter-final last season.

Connor Ronan was the provider on the half hour when his ball from the left was headed back into the danger area by Griffiths and Christian Marques stabbed it past Beadle from close range for 2-0.

Albion, who only won once in PL2 on their travels last season, struggled to create much going forward and Wolves nearly added a third in the 58th minute when Nathan Fraser cut in from the left and fired a right-foot shot against the bar with Beadle beaten.

Todd Miller was one of the most experienced players in a young team against Wolves.

Andrew Crofts’ side kept working hard and trying to create and Jack Hinshelwood wasn’t far away with a strike from distance late on but the visitors found it hard to create clear opportunities.

We return to PL2 action on Friday against Arsenal at the American Express Elite Performance Centre.

Albion: Beadle, Nilsson, Kavanagh, McConville, Samuels, Chouchane, Hinshelwood, Duffus (Everit 85), Baker-Boaitey (Barrington 45), Emmerson (Clark 79), Duffus (Penman 95). Subs not used: Cahill.