West Brom U23 2-1 Fulham U23

Fulham Under-23s' Premier League Cup run was brought to an end on Tuesday night, with West Bromwich Albion securing a 2-1 win at The Hawthorns.

Terry Ablade struck late on but with just seconds left, it wasn't enough.

Steve Wigley brought in a couple of our players currently out on loan to help push the side to Semi-Final success. Boreham Wood loanee Taye Ashby-Hammond started in goal, while Wealdstone’s Connor McAvoy partnered Ibane Bowat in defence.

Kieron Bowie made a return up top after recovering from illness.

We started on the front foot and Jay Stansfield was released down the right early on. After powering down the pitch, he tried to square the ball to Bowie, but it was cleared before he could pull the trigger.

West Brom had the first shot of the game after Jonathon Page was intercepted near his own penalty area. The attempt was heading towards goal but McAvoy made an excellent block to clear the danger.

Page had to be on his toes for the resulting corner, doing well to poke the ball over his own goal before a Baggies man could get a touch on it.

The hosts were beginning to create danger for Wigley’s side. Modou Faal’s headed effort whizzed just over after the number nine latched onto a decent Ethan Ingram cross.

The deadlock was broken on 37 minutes, but the goal went the way of the home side. Defender Caleb Taylor rose highest to nod home from a corner.

Our lads responded well and Bowat nearly got us level, stretching to reach an excellent Sonny Hilton diagonal ball. His back post run was clever but he just couldn’t quite get a touch on it.

West Brom went in with the lead, leaving our 23s with work to do.

We saw a dramatic opening to the second half. Hilton’s powerful strike at the back post was excellently saved by Ted Cann. West Brom then broke away themselves before Page was booked for a diving challenge. He ‘took one for the team’, it was fair to say.

Bowie tried his luck on 55 minutes, wriggling in and out down the right side before sliding a low effort just wide of the far post. A positive start for Wigley’s lads.

Just as the young Whites were beginning to take control, West Brom struck and doubled their lead. It again came from header, with Modou Faal this time finding the back of the net.

Stansfield was presented with our best chance of the game on 65 minutes. Hilton found our number nine with a square ball from the right, but he scuffed his effort despite being unmarked inside the area.

We refused to give up and continued to apply pressure. On 79 minutes, Hilton cut onto his left foot before drilling a strike just wide. It really looked like it was heading in.

Substitute Ablade almost got us a goal back with five minutes on the clock. Hilton’s whipped corner was headed over from point-blank range. You wonder whether it came a little too quickly for him.

We gave ourselves a very slim chance of a comeback when Ablade’s strike from range was deflected in with just seconds on the clock.

The final whistle was soon blown and our Premier League Cup run came to an end at the Semi-Final stage.