It is almost nine years since Solly March cut inside on to his left foot and fired home an absolute screamer against Norwich City at the Amex.

That was in pre-season 2013, as players looked to impress new boss Oscar Garcia ahead of the season-opener at Leeds.

March remained an unused sub as it turned out as Albion lost in the last minute before a raucous sell-out crowd at sweltering Elland Road.

A similar atmosphere awaits today and the man from Hailsham goes there with confidence at a high.

March played with huge amounts of quality, class, belief and maturity against Manchester United last Saturday.

He was very much on the same footballing wavelength as Pascal Gross, which is praise in itself.

Come to think of it, there was confidence too at Molineux as he stood in front of the home end and told them it was handball during that VAR check for the first penalty.

The quality has been there from the start.

But have we ever seen so much of it, on such a consistent level, as in the last two games?

Especially that first half against United.

Albion boss Graham Potter said: “I think it’s just getting older, getting more experienced.

“He understands himself, understands the game more, understands the team, understands what we are asking him to do.

“I thought last year he played really well, left wing-back for a lot of the time.

“He got injured so missed the back end of the season.

“But, up until that point, he was performing at a really good level.

“He has been a little bit unlucky this year with not having played maybe as much as he would like.

“But, whenever he has come in, he has helped the team and done well.

“He is a really good guy, loves the club, acts well around the team.

“He has been completely professional with me so I’m delighted for him.

“He is a talented player and we know there is more to come from him.

“That is a positive thing.”

March has started the last two games as right wing-back with Tariq Lamptey coming on for the closing stages.

Those two were the first-choice wing-back pairing during the first half of last season until injury struck one, then the other They were the two who really made the system work.

It felt like Potter was trying to replicate what Lamptey and March had had as he tried different players out wide in their absence.

Again, it says a lot for how March has fared back on the right that Lamptey has been a sub of late.

Potter said: “That’s the beauty of competition and team selection and different reasons with Tariq.

“But I think the team is doing quite well at the moment and he is playing the role off the bench, which he has done really well.

“Again, he is acting really well.

“So professional, wanting the team to do well.

“He is ready to help when we need him.”

Potter has been pleased with Lamptey’s form this season after his 2020-21 was cut drastically short.

He added: “Overall, I’m really happy with how he’s come back.

“It was a long injury and a frustrating injury. To miss that amount of time is tough.

“He’s come in and helped the team a lot.

“We’ve played him higher at times, which he’s done well.

“He has affected the backline of teams in some really good team performances, away at Chelsea for example.

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“At home against Leeds he did really well.

“He has affected the game, affected the goal.

“The cross for Neal (Maupay) against West Ham, the cross for Neal’s goal against Watford.

“It would be unfair to expect too much more, considering the length of injury and how young he is.”