James Ferry felt Brentford’s Youth Team were well worth their three points as they extended their lead at the top of the Under-18 Professional Development League Two South to five points with a 2-0 win over QPR.
The Bees dominated the game for large periods but had to wait until the final minutes of either half to get their reward.
James put Jon De Souza’s side ahead just before the interval and the points were wrapped up five minutes from the end as Seika Jatta tapped home after a fine Brentford counter.
Speaking to Bees Player after the match James said he was pleased with the three points but admitted that the game should have been wrapped up earlier than it was.
“We are really happy after getting the three points,” said James.
“Staying top of the league is the main reason that we play in the league.
“I would say it was definitely a deserved three points.
“There were times in the game where it was 50/50 and both teams were trying to get on the ball.
“We need to learn to keep the ball and play in their half until we feel the time is right to make an opening.
“At times we do that well but it is about being more consistent and knowing when it’s the right time to try and break the team down.
“Overall we were the better team and deserved to get the three points.
“It was quite windy and the pitch wasn’t the greatest today so it was quite hard to get the ball down and trust passing it at pace.
“I thought we dealt with it well and still tried to play our game.
“We came through scoring twice and winning.
“We managed to get ahead just before half-time and then we settled down for the last five minutes.
“We started the second-half well and passed it well.
“We were definitely on top of them but we just need to take our chances.
“We should have beaten them by more today.
“We needed to be more clinical today as we created a lot of chances and could have won by at least four goals.
“The back four were solid today and I didn’t really feel that, at any point, QPR were really threatening us.
“I didn’t think that they would score so that is well done to Seth Owens, Chris Mepham, Tom Field and Audrius Laucys.”
James was again partnered in the centre of midfield by Reece Cole with Zain Westbrooke playing in a slightly more advanced role behind the main striker.
With all three players comfortable both attacking and defending from midfield James feels they work well together.
The 17-year-old believes that, within the system the Youth Team play, the three midfielders have the license to get forward which James did to good effect getting on the score-sheet.
“It is really good to play three in midfield,” said James.
“Today we played slightly differently and pushed Zain Westbrooke on a bit more.
“It is great to have that flexibility where you can push on or sit and rotate with the other players.
“We all like to get on the ball and in terms of passing it we all like to play the same type of game.
“Reece Cole and I like to get forward and Zain likes to get forward as well but he can dictate the game from deeper areas.
“I think we complement each other well.”
The result moved Brentford’s Youth Team five points clear of their nearest rivals Cardiff City and seven points ahead of third placed Crystal Palace.
With the top two teams making the end of season Play-off James said that is something at the forefront of the players' minds.
While the coaching staff at Jersey Road are keen to impress on the players that the leagues results are secondary to development James said the players’ minds are focused on winning every match.
“We are desperate to win the league now,” said James.
“We don’t want to come second or anything below that.
“We play in the league to try to win.
“We understand that the reason we play every Saturday is to push on, get better and get into the Under-21s and First Team.
“However you can’t play games of football without the aim of winning the match.
“That is the whole point of playing football and we have got to learn that to eventually play first-team football.”
James is one of a number of Youth Team players whose scholarships end in the summer and will either be offered a first professional contract or released from the club.
Having come back from an injury that ruled him out of the opening months of the season James is desperate to make up for lost time and prove he is worth a new contract at Griffin Park.
That starts with pushing on and playing Under-21s football in the remaining months of the season.
“I am happy with how I have done,” said James.
“I just need to keep doing what I am doing and get up to full fitness.
“The main thing is to push on to the Under-21s because hopefully next year that’s where I will be playing.
“You want to prove to the people who are giving out contracts that you can play in the Under-21s.”