Howell hat-trick as Albion thrash Spurs

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Men's under-21s climb to second in Premier League 2 after 5-1 win over Tottenham on Saturday.

Matt Bishop

2024-12-14T16:00+00:00

Harry Howell celebrates after scoring his first goal against Spurs on Saturday.

Harry Howell scored a hat-trick and Cameron Peupion netted twice as Albion men’s under-21s beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 in Premier League 2 on Saturday and are now within a point of leaders Manchester City.

Albion started brightly and Peupion opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he picked up Howell’s fantastic through ball, rounded Luca Gunter in the Spurs goal and tapped into an empty net.

The Australian nearly had his second a minute after the restart when Albion pressed to force an error on the edge of the Spurs box, but Peupion’s curler was tipped behind for a corner by Gunter. From the resulting set piece, Freddie Simmonds’ overhead come back off the bar before Josh Duffus had his shot blocked on the rebound.

Cam Peupion celebrates with Zane Albarus after scoring the first of his two goals against Spurs.

It continued to be one-way traffic with Howell denied following a free-flowing Albion breakaway, Charlie Tasker firing inches wide and Duffus seeing a close-range effort hacked off the line.

Peupion was again denied by Gunter after Jamie Mullins had put him in on goal before Albion finally had their second in the 35th minute. Caylan Vickers was the creator, surging into the box before winning a penalty which Howell calmly converted.

Peupion hit the bar with a deep cross before Howell scored his second on the cusp of the interval.

Mullins was the architect this time, clipping a lovely pass over the defence into Howell’s path and the 16-year-old controlled the ball under pressure and smashed a left-foot shot into the top corner.

Spurs improved after the break and Ed Turns had to be at his best to block Damola Ajayi’s goalbound effort from eight yards, but Albion were still a threat and Duffus was denied by another goal line clearance.

The forward must have been wondering what he had to do to score but the 19-year-old didn’t let his head drop and he turned provider on the hour mark, sending a deep cross to the back post where Peupion was lurking. The Aussie showed immaculate ball control before sending a powerful left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Jamie Mullins had another impressive afternoon in midfield as Albion thrashed Spurs.

The defence celebrated like they’d scored when a mixture of Cahill’s foot, Turns’ thigh and Zane Albarus’ knee denied Oliver Irow in the six-yard box, but Irow did grab a consolation goal in the 82nd minute when he finished a nice passing move by tapping home from five yards.

Albion’s four-goal lead was restored when Howell converted his second penalty to complete his hat-trick after Louis Flower was fouled. Vickers nearly made it six seconds when his rasping strike rattled the bar and Albion settled for five goals and three points.

Albion: Cahill, Slater, Turns (sub: Penman, 78), Simmonds, Tasker, Peupion (Ifill, 69), Mullins, Albarus (Owusu, 72) Howell, Duffus (Flower, 72), C. Vickers. Unused sub: Ferdinand.