Peupion hat-trick as under-21s make winning start

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Bruce Talbot

2024-09-13T21:30+01:00

Cameron Peupion with the match ball after his hat-trick against Reading. 📷 Paul Hazlewood

Cam Peupion scored a second-half hat-trick as Albion made a winning start to their Premier League 2 campaign with a 4-0 win over Reading at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre on Friday.

Volley good show: Cam Peupion found the top corner with this strike. 📷 Paul Hazlewood

Peupion’s coolly-taken goal put Shannon Ruth’s side in front six minutes into the second half and the Australian doubled the lead with a fine strike from the edge of the box. His hat-trick goal was even better as he sent a right-foot volley into the top corner with 14 minutes to go.

An Albion side featuring several under-18s, with right-back Callum Mackley making his debut at under-21 level, dominated the first half with midfielder Jamie Mullins at the heart of their best moments.

Yussif Owusu is outnumbered by four Reading opponents. 📷 Paul Hazlewood

Peupion dragged his shot wide after Mullins had picked him out and the Australian left Ashqar Ahmed on his backside with some lovely footwork and raced into the box but his ball across the face of goal was hacked clear.

Reading keeper Matt Rowley tipped over Remiero Moulton’s shot, Louis Flower hit the post and Sahil Bashir’s follow-up strike was superbly saved by Rowley before Mullins teed up Moulton six yards out, but Louie Holzman bravely blocked his effort as Albion pushed for the opener.

Cam Peupion celebrates with Harry Mills after putting Albion in front. 📷 Paul Hazlewood

They were rewarded in the 51st minute. Bashir and Flower combined before Flower played in Peupion who had time and space to bend his shot inside the far post.

Reading then had their best spell and should have equalised 12 minutes later but Reece Evans somehow headed wide from a great position.

Joe Knight, Josh Duffus and Harry Howell came on and 17 minutes from time Peupion made it 2-0. Harry Mills’ cross was partially cleared and Peupion opened up his body and whipped a right-foot shot inside the right-hand post.

Harry Howell makes it 4-0 late on. 📷 Paul Hazlewood

Peupion had his hat-trick in the 76th minute. Knight dug out a cross from the right-hand corner which Peupion met with a sweetly-struck right-foot volley from the edge of the box that flew past the helpless Rowley into the top corner.

Albion scored their fourth with eight minutes to go. Harry Mills made a great run from deep and cut it back to Howell, who curled a low shot into the far corner.