Isaac Price secured West Bromwich Albion a crucial point with his first goal in English football as the Baggies drew 1-1 at home to Hull City at the weekend to keep their play-off hopes very much alive.
The 21-year-old, who made the switch to The Hawthorns from Standard Liege in January, hit a sweetly struck volley to give Tony Mowbray’s side a 68th minute advantage only for the visitors to equalise eleven minutes from time.
“Isaac Price is doing really well,” said head coach Tony Mowbray. “He’s a young boy who has come in and he’s learning his trade in men’s football.
“He has to keep developing. At the moment his legs are his main attribute which is why he can play in slightly wider areas, but not up and down as he’ll never be a winger.
“He can potentially be what he wants because he’s got wonderful attributes,” added Mowbray. “Hopefully he continues to develop and grow those over the years.”
Also on target ahead of the international double header against Switzerland and Sweden was Callum Marshall who bagged his 10th of the season as Huddersfield Town cruised to a 5-1 win against Crawley Town to keep their League One play-off ambitions on track.
Meanwhile, in the Scottish Premiership midfielder Caolan Boyd-Munce scored his third of the campaign as St Mirren picked up a point in a 2-2 draw away to Motherwell.
Unfortunately the former Glentoran youth player, who had been placed on the standby list for the upcoming internationals, had to be stretchered off with a head injury midway through the second half at Fir Park.
“Hopefully it’s only just concussion and there’s the two-week protocol to get over it,” said St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson.
“The main thing is he will be OK after he goes through the protocols. He’s feeling a bit sick and a bit battered and bruised but fingers crossed he’ll be OK.”
Nineteen-year-old midfielder Francis Turley, who has been called up into Tommy Wright’s U21 squad, was an unused substitute for Celtic who fell to a surprise 3-2 Old Firm defeat at Parkhead to Rangers.
In the Scottish Championship Ben Wilson scored his 16th of the season and former Linfield winger Liam McStravick came off the bench to score his first this term as Airdrieonians drew 3-3 at home to Livingston.
Paddy McNair thought he had scored his first goal for San Diego in their MLS encounter with Columbus Crew only to have his 40th minute effort disallowed for offside. The game eventually ended in a 1-1 draw.
There was speculation that U21 international goalkeeper Dermot Mee could have been in line for his Manchester United debut as regular number one Andre Onana had been a major doubt for the Premier League fixture against Leicester City.
In the end Onana passed a late fitness test and 22-year-old Mee had to be content with a place on the substitutes' bench.
A Simone Magill penalty opened the scoring for Birmingham City Women against Southampton and Rebecca Holloway provided an assist for their second as the Midlands outfit recorded a 2-1 victory to maintain their lead at the top of the Championship table.
Elsewhere Louise McDaniel, Danielle Maxwell and Brenna McPartlan all started Burnley Women’s 3-0 win at West Brom with McPartlan getting on the scoresheet to record her eighth of the season.
Finally, in the U18 Premier League, Sean Corry scored for Derby County against Sunderland and Ceadach O’Neill found the net for Arsenal in their 4-3 win over Leicester City.
Former Linfield youngster Cole Brannigan scored for a third successive game as Aston Villa U18s progressed to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup with a 3-0 win over Plymouth Argyle.
