Aaron Connolly and the hat-trick which wasn't enough

Sometimes even two equalisers and a winner – all three excellent finishes of different types – can’t put a smile on your face as you leave the pitch.

That was the case for Aaron Connolly at MK Dons on Tuesday.

And it might just have offered another indication as to why the little Irish goal-getter is causing increasing excitement with his goals and performances for Albion’s development squad.

Connolly has 15 goals with the under-23s (and under-21s) from a varied fixture list.

To suggestions that it’s “just development football, not the real world”, he might point out the tally includes five in three games away to League One and Two opposition.

A hat-trick in the 3-2 Checkatrade Trophy win at Stadium MK boosted that score.

Aaron Connolly scores his third

But Albion narrowly missed reaching the knockout stages.

When asked by our photographer Richard Parkes, he went back out with the match ball and posed on the pitch after the game. But there wasn’t much of a smile.

Then, as he came off, he asked: “Have we gone out?”

The answer was: “Yes, by one goal.”

At which he registered his disgust and disappointment, gave his prize a vigorous, frustrated bounce and headed in to get changed. Not exactly the sunny demeanour of someone who had just scored a hat-trick.

But it was tempting to think that reaction, just like the fact his treble came after he had missed a sitter, spoke volumes about why there appears every chance he will succeed.

They say strikers have to be able to put misses behind him.

Misses don’t come much worse than that which saw Connolly force a bouncing ball over the bar from two yards.

Confidence shaken? Not exactly as, ten minutes later, he picked up a nice pass down the inside left channel, took on defender Joe Walsh down the outside and, just as the angle seemed to be closing too much, unleashed a powerful shot across the keeper and in off the far post.

Watching and reporting on the development squad, you try NOT to make it all about the goalscorer. That’s too easy.

There are some bright prospects in other areas of Simon Rusk’s team.

We’ve focused on goal-getters before. George Barker nine years ago when Lewis Dunk was actually the gem. Joe Gatting before that when Tommy Elphick and Joel Lynch were the players who went on to forge good Championship careers.

But this group are a step on from those under-18 teams of the past – even though Connolly still hasn’t turned 19.

So we spoke to under-23s boss Rusk after the game at Milton Keynes and there was an inevitability about what happened.

“I try not to ask you about Aaron Connolly after every game – but what about Aaron Connolly?”

Rusk (pictured) replied: “He has got that finishing aspect about him, he is in a really confident place at the minute and he has certainly got that radar for the back of the net. I have maintained that one thing that always comes and goes as a player is form.

“All I am focusing on in Aaron at the minute is his work ethic, his ability to be a team player and keep striving to improve other areas of his game.

“There is a lot to work at still.”

It was a super win by Albion, whose Trophy games have been enjoyable to watch.

It started with them in danger of being overrun at Luton and ended with them piling players forward when already ahead at MK Dons as the group came down to goal difference.

One more goal would have seen Albion through although, in the end, it had to be a goal by Luton at home to Peterborough.

The fourth goal Albion so nearly scored at Milton Keynes would have left them tied with Posh on points, goal difference, goals scored and wins so it could have even come down to drawing lots.

Albion trailed 2-0 at Luton and lost 2-1, trailed 2-0 at Posh and drew 2-2 before winning a shoot-out, then went behind twice at MK Dons before winning. You don’t have to be an expert analyst to spot the pattern.

How close were Albion to the last 32? Well they hit the bar in the 90th minute of their 2-2 draw at Peterborough, the team who ultimately pipped them by one goal. That’s how close.

Connolly is not the only one to catch the eye. You also want to talk about wideman Viktor Gyokeres, the power and passing of midfielder Mathias Normann (above), defenders like Ben White and Ben Barclay plus the delivery of left-back George Cox.

And, of course, there are times when you watch this team and wonder: Where does it all lead?

It is, after all, a development set-up aimed at bringing through talent for the senior squad. A set-up into which significant funds have been invested through fees, wages, scouting and off-field infrastructure.

Rusk was asked what they had learnt from the three group games.

He replied: “They have learned that League One and League Two are tough divisions, with a lot of good players, a lot of experience and a lot of football nous.

“They have been great games for us in a really hard group. We were a young side for the Luton game, but we dug in and albeit against the run of play could have nicked a point.

“We were excellent in the Peterborough game and showed great resilience and character to come back to 2-2, and against MK Dons we have come away from home and beat an experienced side 3-2.

“There are loads of positives for the players to take from all three games, both individually and as a team.”