Late Leeds goal denies Albion victory

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Charlie Hanson

2025-03-03T20:51+00:00

Sahil Bashir put Albion in front with his second Premier League 2 goal in his last three appearances. 📷 by Simon Davies.

Our men's under-21s conceded a last-gasp goal against Leeds United to draw 1-1 in Yorkshire on Monday night.

Sahil Bashir looked as if he'd scored the only goal of the game after 30 minutes, but James Debayo capitalised on pinball in the Albion box to fire in with the last kick of the match.

Albion were boosted ahead of kick-off by the experience of Samy Chouchane, who was starting in midfield alongside Joe Knight. The Tunisian is on a season-long loan with Northampton Town, but is eligible to play for our under-21s.

Jamie Mullins had two decent efforts in the first half. 📷 by Simon Davies.

Sam Chambers’s attempt to squeeze a shot past Killian Cahill after six minutes was the first effort of the match but Albion’s Irish stopper saved well, before his fellow countryman Jamie Mullins saw an audacious lob from just inside the Leeds half well tipped over by Rory Mahady.

Mullins looked the most likely to break the deadlock as his well struck drive from 20 yards flew narrowly wide of the Leeds goal with 25 minutes gone, but he would turn provider for the opener five minutes later.

After getting down the right of Leeds' box, Albion’s captain crossed a low ball along the edge of the six-yard box which Bashir raced onto and scuffed past Mahady.

The winger was first to Jamie Mullins's cross to put Albion in the lead. 📷 by Simon Davies.

Leeds should have equalised just before the break when fullback Connor Ferguson headed over from a couple of yards out, but the hosts were otherwise kept quiet for long spells.

Chances were also at a premium for Albion, but they should have added a second to their tally with 20 minutes to go. Charlie Tasker's ball across the face of goal was begging to be tapped in, but somehow avoided players from both teams as it went behind for a goal-kick.

The hosts tried to muster a late rally in search of an equaliser, but for all the world it looked like the evening would end in frustration for them, until they found a leveller in the final seconds of stoppage time. Albion failed to clear their lines from a Leeds corner and Debayo found the back of the net courtesy of a deflection.

Shannon Ruth's team now have an eight day break until their next match, when they face Braintree Town in the quarter-finals of the National League Cup.