Anthony Guppy said he enjoyed the physical battle against Ryman Premier League Hampton and Richmond Borough in Tuesday’s mid-season friendly at The Beveree.

A Brentford side made up almost entirely of the club’s Youth Team held their semi-professional hosts to a creditable draw in South London.

James Ferry gave The Bees the lead but that was cancelled out on the stroke of half-time by Frantz Tchongang’s close range effort.

Speaking to Bees Player after the match Anthony, who played the first-half in the centre of midfield said he really enjoyed the experience of coming up against an adult side.

The 17-year-old relished the physical battle in the midfield and enjoyed the experience of playing against older, stronger players than he is used to.

“It was a good experience because it was against first-team players,” said Anthony.

“Usually at Under-18 level you play against your own age and you never play above the Under-21s.

“Some of their team were over 25 so it was a good match to play in.

“The big difference tonight was the physicality of their side.

“Also the tempo of the game is much quicker.

“In an Under-18 you can maybe have a loose touch and still keep hold of it whereas in a first-team game they are on you straight away.

“I enjoyed the physical battle.

“I thought it was a good game because it challenged me physically as the men are bigger and stronger.”

The pitch at The Beveree has been a cause for concern for the hosts all season and so it proved on Tuesday night as it cut up from the off and wet patches made the roll of the ball unpredictable at times.

To their credit the young Bees set about trying to impose their passing style of play on the hosts from the outset.

Anthony admitted the pitch did make life difficult but felt that Brentford adapted well to conditions as the match progressed.

“The pitch does play quite a big factor in how you play,” said Anthony.

“At the start of the game we tried to impose our passing all over the pitch but the pitch did affect things.

“Some of the passes we would play slowed down in the mud or you would play a through ball that would go all the way through normally but it got clogged up in the mud.

“We needed to improvise and get used to the conditions.

“I thought we did well in parts of the game.

“I thought we were bright on the wings.”

The Youth Team currently sit eight points clear at the head of the Under-18 Professional Development League Two South table with a handful of games remaining.

Anthony believes that there is a great mood in the Youth Team, helped by strong results on the pitch over recent months.

The midfielder said that mood is helping the team to achieve better results and play bright passing football.

“The season has gone quite well,” said Anthony.

“We are top of the table and we are playing really bright, clever football at the moment.

“We have just to keep going with it.

“The group has got a real buzz around it.

“We are winning games and we want to keep the buzz going.

“It is a good atmosphere.

“On a Friday we play mini games and I feel with the good atmosphere that definitely helps leading into the match.

“When you go into games with that buzz you don’t really shout at each other if you make a mistake so the confidence helps.”

Anthony has been on the fringes of the Youth Team this season in his first-year as a scholar.

The former QPR player has made seven appearances this season, five from the substitutes bench, but feels he has made good progress this campaign helped in no small part by the facilities at the club’s Jersey Road Training Ground.

Anthony is hopeful that if he can continue to develop and improve he can break into the Youth Team sooner rather than later.

“I want to break into the team and get more game time,” said Anthony.

“The main aim though is to win the league and to keep progressing.

“I have improved a lot technically.

“When we were Under-16s we were only in twice a week so now we have more time and more facilities to improve.

“I really feel like my overall game had got better as the season has gone on.

“The facilities are a big thing.

“There is the cage where you can go in and work on your touch.

“There is also the gym and everything is there for you to use, you have just got to go and use it.”