Albion men’s under-21 coach Shannon Ruth admitted that Leeds United made Friday's opening match of the Premier League 2 season “a difficult night”. But he still saw positives despite a 4-2 home defeat.
Samy Chouchane and Mark O’Mahony scored as Albion went into the break level at 2-2. But a red card for Ben Jackson just before half-time meant that the second half was always going to be a battle, especially when Leeds’ man-of-the-match Luca Thomas, 18, completed his hat-trick after 53 minutes.
“We started the game pretty strongly which possibly put us into a false sense of security,” Ruth said. “I thought Leeds always looked dangerous on turnover. As the game went on it got very open and it was a difficult night for us.”
But he was happy with the way his players regrouped, staying in the game until Leeds’ stoppage-time fourth. “We were pleased with the second half after going a man down,” he said. “Over the course of the game we still had 60 per cent possession, which is a big ask when you are a player down for more than half the game.”
Skipper Jack Hinshelwood, who began the game in midfield, switched seamlessly to central defence after Jackson’s dismissal. “Jack is a very talented young footballer with an excellent football brain, as you have seen in the first team with the positions he has played.,” Ruth said.
“That is down to his maturity as a young man but also the football background that he comes from. He has a very good understanding of the game which means wherever you put him he does a very good job.”
In fact, Leeds themselves could have been a man down in the first half but defender Jeremiah Mullen was shown only a yellow card for a challenge on Andrew Moran that left the Irishman, who had been causing the visitors plenty of problems, needing prolonged treatment. Moran, though, was able to play on and keep Albion functioning in attack.
“There is a wound on his thigh, which suggests a high challenge,” Ruth said. “He’ll need more treatment. A part of Andy’s talent is his infectiousness and the way he brings other people into the game, and his creativity too. It takes a lot to knock him off his feet and stop him playing so we were pleased with his contribution.”