Albion under-23s have rounded off their outstanding season in style with play-off success.

Simon Rusk’s side won 2-0 at Aston Villa in the Premier League Two, division two final today to secure promotion.

Goals from Henrik Bjordal and Aaron Connolly clinched a deserved win.

Bjordal fired Albion in front from close range midway through the first half after Aaron Connolly’s initial effort on the turn was saved.

By then Viktor Gyokeres had already curled a super effort against the far post.

And Steven Alzate angled a shot inches wide just after the opening goal

Villa thought they had levelled in the second half when Rushian Hepburn-Murphy turned home a low cross at the far post, only to be flagged offside.

Instead Connolly doubled the Seagulls’ lead with a header after the ball was flighted expertly into the box by Max Sanders.

Gyokeres and Bjordal were always a threat and Albion also kept possession impressively with Sanders a tidy and effective presence in midfield.

The Seagulls should probably have extended their lead once they were 2-0 up.

Other than the disallowed goal, they were only really cut open once at the back and that was in the very early stages, when Callum O’Hare fired a great chance over.

Hepburn-Murphy let fly from longer range in the second half, forcing Robert Sanchez into a sharp save diving to his left.

Albion: Sanchez; Mateju, Barclay, Dallison, Cox; Sanders, Alzate; Bjordal, Connolly (Tilley 70), Gyokeres.