Howell wins it for Albion

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Substitute's late goal seals 3-2 win for the under-21s against Reading.

Bruce Talbot

2024-11-20T21:00+00:00

Harry Howell is congratulated by Joe Belmont after making it 3-2 to Albion. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion kept alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Premier League Cup after edging out Reading 3-2 in a thriller at Aldershot’s EBB Stadium on Wednesday.

Reading took an early lead before Albion turned it round with two goals before half-time by Jamie Mullins, from the penalty spot, and Louis Flower.

The home side equalised early in the second half and there were near misses at both ends before substitute Harry Howell won it with a fine finish nine minutes from time.

The result moved Albion above Luton into second place in the group although the Hatters do have a game in hand. Albion’s remaining matches are at home to leaders Burnley and away to Luton with the top two progressing.

Louis Flower is brought down by Philip Duah and Albion made it 1-1 from the resultant penalty. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Reading had still to claim a point in the group after three games but they started well and profited on some poor defending to take an eighth-minute lead. Ed Turns was dispossessed by Emmanuel Osho whose pass found Charlie Wellings on the edge of the D and his low drive beat Hugo Fisher via a deflection off Freddie Simmonds.

The Royals were the better side in the first 20 minutes and Fisher saved low to his right to keep out Jack Senga-Ngoyi’s shot.

But then Albion found another gear and turned the game round with two goals in eight minutes.

Jamie Mullins slots home Albion's equaliser from the penalty spot. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

On 23 minutes Philip Duah was left stranded by a short back pass from Jacob Borgnis which Flower quickly latched onto. Duah had little choice but to bring him down inside the box and was perhaps fortunate to only get a yellow card. Mullins made no mistake from the penalty spot.

On 31 minutes Albion led. Jacob Slater’s pass was perfectly weighted for Flower to run onto, round keeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke and stroke the ball into an empty net.

Albion were having a lot of success against Reading’s high defensive line and Flower got in again just before the break, but this time Boyce-Clarke saved his shot.

Back came Reading to draw level from a corner four minutes after the break when central defender Michael Strickland guided a fine header into the far corner from Joe Barough’s delivery on the right.

Ed Turns looks for a pass in the second half. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

And the Royals should have been in front five minutes later when they put together a great move down the right and Jeremiah Okine-Peters teed up Tyler Sackey six yards out but he scooped his shot over the target. A let-off for Albion.

Reading keeper Jerae Jones, who’d come on at the break, was worked for the first time when he pushed out a shot from former Reading player Caylan Vickers as Albion began to look more threatening.

Louis Flower made it 2-1 after latching on to a great pass by Jacob Slater. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

And with nine minutes to go they found the winner. Slater did well again, running into space down the left and picking out Howell who swept a left-foot shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Albion: Fisher, Simmonds, Slater, Turns, Penman, Albarus, Bashir (Mackley 75), Mullins (Knight 62), Flower (Belmont 80), Vickers, Moulton (Howell 62).

Subs not used: Ferdinand.

Ruth: The group showed their togetherness

Head coach Shannon Ruth said, “I think we have to be honest with ourselves and be humble enough to know that we didn't play very well. The team has been in a really good place and playing some nice football and we didn’t really do that.

“But I think what we have is a group who are really together and when you've got a group working hard for each other, even on the tough nights when we don't play so well, you can get yourself a result.

“There were positives. I was really impressed with Freddie Simmonds, I thought he played extremely well. I thought Caylan Vickers returning to his old club put in a real shift and I was pleased with his impact. And Harry Howell add some quality when he came on and we saw that with how well he took the goal.”