Albion’s youngsters gave another good account of themselves in the Papa Johns Trophy but suffered a 2-1 defeat to League One Charlton Athletic at The Valley.
Todd Miller equalised Sam Lavelle’s first-half goal nine minutes after the break and Albion had some good chances to go in front, with defender Antef Tsoungui hitting the post.
The game looked certain to be settled by a penalty shoot-out, but Charlton skipper Jack Payne found the net from close range to ensure his side progressed to the knockout stages with Colchester United.
Defeats to Colchester and Gillingham ended Albion's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages but there was still pride to play for on a wet and windy night in SW7.
A Charlton side including ex-Albion midfielder Jake Forster-Caskey made the early running and James Beadle had to be on high alert in the eighth minute when a foul by Jack Hinshelwood gave Henry a free-kick opportunity 25 yards out which he curled half a yard wide of the keeper’s right-hand post.
Beadle pushed out a well-struck effort from 25 yards by Foster-Caskey before Albion threatened for the first time in the 21st minute when Miller cut in from the right, after a patient build-up, but shot straight at Craig MacGillivray.
Charlton had another good chance when Payne was picked out in lots of space on the edge of the box by Tyreece Campbell but his shot failed to test Beadle and it was Albion who should have gone in front on the half-hour.
Jack Hinshelwood’s pass found Cam Peupion making an excellent run between two defenders, but his shot was beaten away by MacGillivray, and moments later Peupion saw another goal-bound effort take a deflection and over the crossbar.
As the rain began to come down in torrents, Beadle did brilliantly to prevent Charlton from taking the lead in the 40th minute. He was well out of his goal when the hosts won the ball back and Henry side-footed the ball towards an empty net, but Beadle got back and managed to scoop it off the line.
But the hosts did break the deadlock in the last minute of the half when central defender Lavelle rose in a crowded six-yard box to head Forster-Caskey’s corner past Beadle.
Albion started the second half positively and Peupion was inches away from making a decisive contact when Luca Barrington fizzed an inviting ball across the face of goal from the right. By now the Valley was being lashed by a storm of tropical intensity but the visitors continued to threaten and levelled in the 54th minute when Miller pounced after Charlton failed to clear Peupion’s low cross and his effort beat MacGillivray, although the final touch seemed to come off a home defender.
Albion now looked the more threatening side. MacGillivray got behind a rasping 25-yarder by Miller then substitute Samy Chouchane floated a ball up to the far post when Tsoungui, arriving at pace, tried to squeeze it inside the post but ended up clattering his effort against the upright.
Needing to win to progress, Charlton began to commit more men forward with Daniel Kanu and Richard Chin both denied by some excellent defending.
Chouchane and Marcus Ifill had given Albion a real spark after coming on. Ifill was next to test MacGillivray, who fell gratefully on his low drive. With two minutes to go Miller dispossessed a defender and, as MacGillivray came out to challenge, the ball bounced agonisingly wide of the right-hand post as Albion pressed for the decisive goal.
Instead, in the second minute of stoppage time, Charlton got the winner. Payne had too much space on the right to line up a shot and although Beadle got both hands to it the ball crept over the line. Harsh on Albion.
Albion: Beadle, Furlong, Tsoungui, Packham (Ifill 65), Spong, Hinshelwood, Peupion, Miller, Samuels (Baker-Boaitey 78), Barrington (Chouchane 65), Ferguson (Nilsson 45).
Subs not used: Cahill, Wilson, Everitt.
Attendance: 662 (53 Albion fans)