Shaun Wilkinson gave his bid for a place in the team to face Millwall a goalscoring boost in the reserves last night.

The rookie front runner launched an impressive 6-0 rout for Dean White's side against Cambridge United in the Avon Insurance Combination League at Woodside Road.

Albion are short of strikers with Bobby Zamora and Paul Kitson injured and Graham Barrett unavailable.

Wilkinson, used as a late substitute against his home city club Portsmouth last Saturday, had every incentive to impress watching manager Martin Hinshelwood.

He did his cause no harm when he rose at the near post to head home a Dean Hammond cross in the 25th minute.

Albion dominated from the kickoff and would have been further in front but for the dexterity of Cambridge keeper Martin Brennan.

He foiled Wilkinson and his partner Chris McPhee as well as keeping out an inadvertant header from his own defender Franco Nacca from a probing David Lee cross.

Brennan was at fault though as Albion doubled their lead in the 34th minute.

He failed to hold Wilkinson's 20-yarder and Lee knocked in the rebound.

Lee made it 3-0 four minutes later, drilling in a low right foot drive from 15 yards.

Eastbourne-based midfielder John Piercy, making his second appearance since being released by Spurs, ran on to Wilkinson's pass to clip the fourth on 48 minutes.

Brennan blemished his display again when he spilled a Nathan Jones cross into his own net after 65 minutes.

Young substitute Phil Bartholomew completed the slaughter eight minutes later.