Albion stage stunning comeback to draw with West Ham

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Albion found themselves 3-0 down after 24 minutes.

Luke Nicoli

2025-09-26T21:10+01:00

Joe Belmont has scored in back-to-back Premier League 2 games. 📷 by Simon Roe.

Our men's under-21s staged a stunning second-half comeback to earn a share of the spoils at West Ham United.

Shannon Ruth's in-form side found themselves 3-0 down at half-time yet fought back impressively in the second half through quickfire goals from Shane Nti and Joe Belmont. A much-deserved point arrived five minutes from time when Ezra Mayers steered the ball past his own keeper.

Albion came into the game on the back of two successive victories – and an impressive five wins from six games – yet they found themselves two goals down inside the opening eight minutes.

The deadline was broken on seven minutes when Emeka Adiele's low cross from the left was turned home by Josh Landers. Then, in the Hammers' very next attack, Landers broke free from a static Seagulls' rearguard before drilling the ball past keeper Nils Ramming.

Harry Howell went close to pulling one back in the first half. 📷 by Simon Roe.

To their credit, Albion responded positively and Harry Howell, fresh from scoring for the first team at Barnsley on Tuesday night, showed good feet before firing wide from 20 yards.

However, the positivity was short lived as the livewire Landers completed his hat-trick in the 25th minute, turning the ball home from close range after Adiele had again found himself free inside Albion's box.

Howell again showed another glimpse of his ability when he cut in from the right only to see his fierce effort come crashing back off the crossbar – leaving the Seagulls with it all to do as the half came to close.

Yet Albion looked a completely different proposition after the break and were handed a lifeline in the 50th minute when the lively Nehemiah Oriola found space down the left and in-form Nti reacted quickest to fire home with a first-time effort.

Joe Belmont scored Albion's second, before an own-goal equalised. 📷 by Simon Roe.

The visitors netted a second just three minutes later when Josh Robertson sent a fierce low ball into the heart of the Hammers' goalmouth, again from the left, and a deft touch from Belmont beat keeper Tom Wooster.

Albion almost netted an equaliser when Belmont headed a Howell cross narrowly over the bar and the striker went close again when he connected with Sean Keogh's low cross.

The Seagulls continued to push forward for the equaliser and it arrived with five minutes remaining when the hosts failed to deal with a ball into their box from sub Tyler Silsby and the ball came off Mayers as Belmont lay in wait.

b Ramming, Barclay, Simmonds, Atom (Mackley 45), Keogh, Oriola, Knight (Owusu 88), Robertson (Mills 94), Howell (Silsby 77), Belmont, Nti.

Sub not used: Jensen.