Albion under-18s put in a performance of real maturity as they secured their place in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup with a 1-0 win over Manchester City at the American Express Elite Performance Centre.
Zak Emmerson’s drive from range with 20 minutes to play knocked out the side who have played in four of the last seven finals and won the competition two years ago. Albion will now travel to Charlton, who beat Accrington Stanley 2-1 on Tuesday night.
City’s confidence in possession was clear from the off as they took a grip of proceedings, but Albion stood up to the task defensively throughout the first half and had chances of their own.
Tommy Reid denied Adedire Mebude at the near post early on and the City winger went even closer moments later when he fired just wide of the bottom left corner.
While City probed and pushed for an opener, Albion who could have taken the lead after 30 minutes. Reid’s pass out to the right flank was picked up by Marcus Ifill and his searing pace carried him into the box, but he dragged his effort a couple of yards the wrong side of the bottom left corner.
City upped the ante but Reid refused to be beaten on his 17th birthday. Carlos Borges’ free-kick from 20 yards was impressively kept out before he smothered Will Dickson’s volley.
Albion came out of their shell in the second half while maintaining their defensively solidity and again Ifill nearly broke the deadlock with an hour gone.
Having been found in the box by Joshua Duffus, he let fly with a low effort that looked bound for the bottom left corner only to be blocked by a City defender.
That gave Albion some momentum and they broke the deadlock in the 70th minute. Ifill had just been denied by City stopper Mikki Van Sas, but Romeo Lavia failed to get the keeper’s quick pass under control and Emmerson pinched possession, turned smartly and unleashed a powerful effort from 25 yards which Van Sas spilled into his own net.
City struggled to make inroads even late on when they loaded the box and although there were some nervy moments late on Albion got the job done.
Albion: Reid, Jenks, Jackson, Kavanagh, McConville, Hinshelwood, Duffus (Lucero 81), Chouchane, Emmerson, Moran (Gee 68), Ifill.
Unused subs: Cahill, Qureshi, Ryan, Smith, Tasker.