'We showed courage despite defeat'

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Shannon Ruth reflects on his team's opening game of the Premier League 2 season.

2024-08-19T06:00+01:00

Jamie Mullins captained the under-21s against West Ham. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion under-21s head coach Shannon Ruth felt that his young side deserved more than they got in the 2-0 home defeat in the opening match of the Premier League 2 season.

Jacob Vickers and Harry Mills made their debuts in the competition and Charlie Tasker and Zane Albarus their first starts, while 16-year-old England youth players Harry Howell and Freddie Simmonds were also in the line-up against a West Ham team that went ahead after 20 minutes as Albion failed to clear a corner and sealed victory with a late break.

“I was really pleased and proud of the lads,” Ruth said. “For such a young team, the way we played and some of the courage they showed, I didn’t think we deserved to be behind.

"I thought 0-0 at half time would have been fair but we fell asleep at the second phase of a set piece.

Charlie Tasker looks to get forward. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

“West Ham had physical attributes and some promising players on the break, but overall I was disappointed for the team because I didn’t think we deserved to lose.”

Josh Duffus caught the eye as he looked to continue his pre-season form into the league campaign. “Josh is in good form,” Ruth said. “He scored goals in pre-season and we have moved him more centrally after he featured out wide for us last season. He was a handful for Palace in our final pre-season game. He continued that against West Ham.”

Another plus was a captain’s display in central midfield from new skipper Jamie Mullins. “Jamie has had a really good year and we are hopeful that in the next six months he can continue to shine and maybe either be around our first team fringes or go out on loan,” Ruth added. “We think he can step up as one of the older players in the team and that can be a platform for him.”