Nti nets hat-trick in Baggies thumping

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In the battle of the Albions, Shannon Ruth's team came out on top.

Nick Szczepanik

2025-08-17T18:00+01:00

Shane Nti ensured Albion cruised to victory on the opening day of the Premier League 2 season. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion opened their Premier League 2 campaign with a comfortable victory over West Bromwich Albion at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre in Lancing.

Shane Nti put them ahead after 25 minutes, doubled the lead in first-half added time and completed his hat trick with a penalty in the 92nd minute after Callum Mackley had made it 3-0 after 83 minutes.

The eye-catching names on the team sheet were those of new summer singings Stefanos Tzimas and Charalampos Kostoulas, who were on the bench for Albion.

Sean Keogh was the first player to go close for Albion, cutting in from the left and seeing his shot blocked at the expense of a corner. And Zane Albarus was the first player in the book after 17 minutes, for a shuddering challenge on Baggies left back Evan Humphries, not long after he had also laid out their captain, Cole Deeming.

Shane Nti started the Premier League 2 season in style. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion went ahead after 26 minutes when Harry Howell ran at the defence before finding Charlie Tasker on the right. His hard, low cross travelled all the way across goal to the far post, where Nti was unmarked to score.

It could have been 2-0 within a minute as visiting goalkeeper Louis Brady parried a shot into the path of Keogh but as the ball bounced awkwardly, his first-time shot was high and wide.

And the visitors’ goal had two narrow escapes just after the half hour, first when Tasker’s shot from Josh Robertson’s pass looked as if it must double the lead only for a late block by defender Michael Parker to deflect the ball for a corner. From the flag kick Noel Atom had the ball in the net but referee Emily Heaslip disallowed the goal, indicating that the German defender had used an arm.

Charlamapos Kostoulas and Stefanos Tzimas came on after an hour. 📷 by James Boardman.

As half time approached, Keogh was close again with a low right-foot shot that faded just past the far post. But there was still time for Albion to go in two ahead. Howell danced infield along the byline and scooped the ball across goal for Nti to rise above the defenders and head in.

Tzimas and Kostoulas took the field in a double substitution just after the hour. Both were on the end of some uncompromising tackles from the West Brom defenders, but watching head coach Fabian Hurzeler would have been happy that it was all part of their education in the realities of English football.

And Kostoulas contributed to Albion’s third goal seven minutes from time. His shot on the turn was blocked and the ball came out to Mackley, whose first-time shot was deflected past wrong-footed goalkeeper Brady.

Shane Nti scored from the penalty spot for his third goal of the afternoon. 📷 by James Boardman.

Not to be out-done, Tzimas charged through the middle onto Tasker’s through pass and was brought down by Brady’s dangled right foot. Nti grabbed the ball and although Brady got a strong right hand to his kick, the ball found its way in off the post.

Albion: Ramming; Mackley, Simmonds (c, Slater 78), Atom; Tasker, Albarus (Owusu 46), Robertson (Oriola 71), Keogh; Howell (Kostoulas 61), Belmont (Tzimas 61), Nti.