A STRONG Albion reserves side kicked off their season in style with a convincing 3-0 win over Bradford at The Hawthorns.

Ishmael Miller fired the Baggies in front in the 19^th minute of this Pontin's Holidays League Division One (Central) clash before being taken off as a precaution with a groin problem 15 minutes later.

Nathan Ellington doubled the Baggies' lead seven minutes before the break and grabbed his second in the 58^th minute before being substituted.

Albion could have gone ahead as early as the second minute when Ellington raced clear of the Bantams defence but saw James McLaughlin save at his feet.

Miller followed up the rebound, only to see his goalbound effort deflected wide.

At the other end, Luke Medley found himself one-on-one with Luke Steele in the tenth minute and the Baggies keeper did well to deny him before Shelton Martis headed the loose ball away.

Sherjill MacDonald played a neat one-two with Ellington in the 18^th minute but fired wide from 30 yards.

From the resultant goal-kick, Ronnie Wallwork chested the ball down before threading Miller through and he netted from 12 yards despite McLaughlin getting his legs to it.

Miller looked sure to double his tally 60 seconds later when he broke free again but a last-ditch challenge by Simon Ainge denied the on-loan striker.

Albion were dominating proceedings and, in the 25^th minute, MacDonald burst past two City players and fired wide from the edge of the area.

Miller was forced out of the action in the 34^th minute with a groin niggle and was replaced by youngster Lateef Alliyu.

Ellington finally doubled the Baggies' lead seven minutes before half-time when he thundered home a 30-yard rocket that left McLaughlin rooted to the spot.

It could have been 3-0 in first-half stoppage time but Ellington saw his header from Neil Clement's corner fly over.

The Baggies came close to scoring again only three minutes into the second-half when Alliyu's flick from Clement's centre was saved by McLaughlin, who somehow stopped MacDonald's follow-up strike from point-blank range.

Ten minutes later, Ricky Nicholls threaded Ellington through and the former Wigan hitman held off his marker before sliding the ball past McLaughlin to make it 3-0.

On the hour-mark, MacDonald ran past three defenders before seeing his deflected shot smothered by McLaughlin.

But Craig Shakespeare's men were not having it all their own way and Steele had to pull off a fine save to deny Sean Talyforth's first-time effort from Medley's right-wing cross.

Bostjan Cesar almost gifted the visitors a goal in the 70^th minute when he let the ball go through to Medley and the on-loan Marseille defender had Steele to thank for saving the Bradford striker's effort with his foot.

The last real action of this Hawthorns encounter came 15 minutes before the end when MacDonald, who seemed destined not to score, flicked Clement's left-wing cross just wide.

ALBION (4-4-2): Steele; Hodgkiss, Martis, Cesar, Clement; Nicholls (Nardiello 77), Wallwork, Chaplow, MacDonald; Ellington (Worrall 58), Miller (Alliyu 34). Subs not used: Lloyd-Weston (gk), Manchester.

BRADFORD (4-4-2): McLaughlin; Harban, Ainge, Clarke, O'Brian; Morgan (Osbourne 70), Sharry, Bentham, Talyforth; Medley, Penford. Subs not used: Saynor, Hopkins, Bellamy, Horne.

GOALS: ALBION - Miller (19), Ellington (38 & 58).

ATTENDANCE: 377.

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