Youth Team defender Tom Field thought the mood in Brentford’s dressing room after their 1-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra was surprisingly down considering they had just moved top of the Under 18 Professional Development League Two South.
The win over Crewe Alexandra, given to them by Chris Mepham’s 20th minute strike, extended The Bees strong start to the season making it one defeat in six league games this campaign.
Tom and his teammates did have to weather an intense late onslaught from Alexandra and were lucky not to concede as The Railwaymen hit the post twice, had two effort cleared off the line and were twice denied brilliantly by Jordan Carey in goal.
Speaking to Bees Player after the game Tom said the team were disappointed that they let their dominance of the game slip after the first hour of the match.
The 17-year-old added that the Youth Team do not want to only win games of football but they want to win them with good performances as well.
“Considering we got the win it was quite down in the dressing room, especially given the way we played in the last 25 minutes,” said Tom.
“We don’t feel like we performed well and we let the coaches down.
“For the first 60 minutes I think we played very well and moved the ball around the pitch.
“I could hear one of their players saying after 15 minutes that they were blowing so it shows how we moved the ball around the pitch.
“At Youth Team level it is about the result but it is also about the performance.
“We would rather player really well and draw than play average and win.
“For 60 minutes we dominated the play and switched the ball quite a lot.
“We used our wingers and had the full-backs overload and we got our goal through one of the full-backs.
“I think at the start of the second-half we forced it and the game became open which played into their hands because they like the longer ball.
“They tracked us all the way back and all the way forwards so it made it difficult for us to receive the ball on the turn and play it into the strikers.
“That is where Seth Owens thrives because he has a good punch pass into the centre-midfielders.
“It doesn’t have to come through the full-backs to play out as we have different options.”
Friday’s shutout was Brentford’s first clean sheet of the season and means that the Youth Team have now conceded six goals in six games so far.
The Bees did ride their luck at times, especially in the second-half, but Tom thought it showed good character and determination to make sure that they ground out the win.
Tom felt that in previous years the Youth Team would have lost games like the one against Crewe and the fact that they held on showed there is a plenty of fight and character in their dressing room.
“It is a very nice feeling to get the clean sheet but it was very close to not being a clean sheet,” said Tom.
“We were very close to conceding and it felt like we did concede.
“They hit the post three times and had a goal disallowed.
“I thought we did well to grind out the result.
“Even though they kept forcing it long we did compete and battle.
“That was very important especially when it was only a 1-0 lead.
“If that game was played last year we would have come out with a loss.
“This year we fight more and we battle more in training and that comes out on the pitch.”
Tom has played in every season of the Under 18 Professional Development League since it started three seasons.
Having endured tough campaigns the previous two seasons Tom feels this year will be very different.
The left-back believes that despite hitting top spot on Friday there is still plenty more to come from the team and said it is a good feeling to know there is more to come from the side.
“It is a massive difference from last year,” said Tom.
“We were second bottom last year and now to be six games in and top, having only lost one game, is pleasing.
“We know what we need to do because we know that we can still improve.
“The feeling of being top but knowing we can improve is a nice feeling.
“We know we can play ten times better.
“We have people coming back from injury and when we do hit top gear I think we will do very well.”