Carabao Cup: West Brom 2 Mansfield Town 1 - Report and pictures

Sparkling behind front man Oliver Burke, the pair showed just how bright Albion's future could be as further back 18-year-old Rekeem Harper also impressed in central midfield.

Leko rounded off a sweeping team goal in the 26th minute to put the Baggies ahead and Darren Moore's young side should have been home and hosed before Neal Bishop equalised with a long-range curler with 20 minutes to go.

But four minutes later Edwards rifled a shot into the top corner to build on his promising pre-season and send the Baggies into the third round of the Carabao Cup.

It was a mature performance from a young Albion side, that sparkled at times, particularly in an energetic and enjoyful first half.

They were nearly made to pay for failing to take their chances as Mansfield launched a late barrage, but they held out in the end to make it four wins in the last five games.

Albion and Mansfield had only met four times before, with the Baggies winning three of those and drawing the other, and they kept up their unbeaten record against the Stags here to inflict a first defeat of the season on David Flitcroft's team.

Darren Moore named a young side with four academy products in the starting line-up and two more on the bench, including Morgan Rogers, an attacking midfielder who picked up his GCSE results last week.

But there was experience at the back where 35-year-old Tyrone Mears was handed his debut at wing-back and Craig Dawson was given his first start of the season.

Both teams had good chances in the opening three minutes. The hosts broke quickly up the middle of the pitch to set up a chance for Conor Townsend to shoot over, before Craig Davies missed a glorious opportunity at the other end when Sam Field, playing at left centre-back again, jumped under a cross.

Albion's youngsters in the middle were showing some eye-catching touches in the early stages, and when Leko wriggled past his man five minutes in he sent Oliver Burke through but the striker could only find the side netting.

A few moments later Burke had an even better chance when he timed his run perfectly from a Conor Townsend corner, but he couldn't keep his header down.

Leko was at the heart of all the action early on. He had a shot deflected inches wide and then nearly slipped Kyle Edwards in behind with a slide-rule pass.

The hosts were controlling possession, but quarter of an hour in, Dawson endured a nightmare 30 seconds when he nearly gifted Mansfield the lead.

First, he passed the ball directly to Otis Khan to allow the Stags to break, and then he nearly turned the cross into his own net but had to be bailed out by Boaz Myhill.

The visitors enjoyed a spell of pressure after that although the closest they came to scoring was a Khan free-kick easily held by Albion's keeper.

Then in the 26th minute the Baggies broke the deadlock with a gorgeous sweeping move up the pitch.

It started in their own half with a clever one-two between Burke and Edwards that set the rapid Scotland international clear, but instead of shooting he had the presence of mind to square it to Leko, who coolly tucked home his first goal for the Baggies.

The pace of Albion's youngsters was proving too much for Mansfield, and when Barry found Burke soon after he should have made it two after going through one-on-one with Robert Olejnik, but the Stags keeper stood up well and smothered the chance.

Moore's men were growing in confidence, and they started to pass the ball around with style and panache after that.

Harper was playing with the composure of someone much older than 18, Leko was toying with the opposition, and Burke was destroying them with pace.

Their adventure was epitomised when Edwards flicked the ball up before lobbing it over the defence to the ever-willing Burke.

Just before half-time Albion cut through Mansfield once more but when Edwards rounded the keeper he went down under a challenge that never came and was shown a yellow card as he apologised to the referee.

CJ Hamilton did hit the post for Mansfield with a header during a rare attack for the visitors, but he had already been flagged offside, and the Baggies went in happy.

After the break, Dawson nearly latched onto an Edwards cross at the back post before being felled by a clash with Callum Butcher.

Although the Stags man had to go off, Dawson was fine to continue, and as he was walking back onto the pitch, Field found Edwards with a perfectly-time lofted ball but Olejnik beat away his fierce shot.

The Stags keeper had to be alert again just before the hour mark when he pushed over Sam Field's effort at the back post and then he stood up well when Leko tried to chip him after Burke sent him racing clear.

David Flitcroft sent on Danny Rose in an attempt to change the game, and he nearly did that straight away, crashing a 25-yard bullet off the inside of Myhill's post but the ball bounced safe.

That effort gave the League Two side and their fans belief, and in the 70th minute they levelled through a sumptuous first-time curler from Neal Bishop after breaking down the right.

The Baggies should have been out of sight by then, but all of a sudden they were level, and Mansfield had the bit between their teeth.

But the scores were only level for four minutes, because that goal seemed to wake Albion's youngsters up.

With 15 to go they broke down the left through Townsend, who played it forward to Edwards.

He cut inside his man and rifled a shot into the far top corner to emulate Leko and grab his first senior goal for the club.

Moore sent the big guns on after that, replacing the goalscorers with Harvey Barnes and Dwight Gayle, and Edwards limped off after receiving a blow to his ribs during the goal.

Barnes nearly scored a superb solo goal before Myhill made an important block from Rose one-on-one after the striker plucked a high ball out of the sky.

Substitute Jordan Graham scooped an effort inches wide and goalkeeper Olejnik nearly scored from a corner in injury time as the Baggies clung on.

But cling on they did, to make it four wins from five for Darren Moore.

Key moments

26 GOAL ALBION - Baggies sweep up the pitch with pace before Burke squares it to Leko for his first Albion goal.

71 GOAL MANSFIELD - Bishop curls in a long-range effort to draw the scores level.

75 GOAL ALBION - Edwards rifles his first Albion goal into the top corner to restore the lead.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Rekeem Harper - A mature performance in midfield from the 18-year-old that belied his teenage years and complemented Gareth Barry, who was also solid.

Line ups

Albion (3-4-2-1): Myhill; Adarabioyo, Dawson (Howkins 72), Field; Mears, Barry, Harper, Townsend; Edwards (Barnes 77), Leko (Gayle 77); Burke.

Unused subs: Bond, Livermore, Brunt, Barnes, Rogers, Gayle.

Mansfield Town (3-5-2): Olejnik; Pearce, Sweeny, Benning (Graham 85), Atkinson, Hamilton, Bishop, Butcher (MacDonald 53), Khan, Walker, Davies (Rose 64).

Unused subs: Logan, Mellis, Sterling-Kames, Gibbens.

Referee: Stephen Martin