B team defender Byron Wilson feels minutes in the Middlesex Senior Cup will only serve him well in his development after the 17-year-old got 90 minutes under his belt in Tuesday’s semi-final match.

It was a game where the side fielded a particularly youthful team with the likes of 17-year-old Byron accompanied by Conor McManus and Tony Yogane from the start in what was a narrow 1-0 defeat to Hayes & Yeading United.

Discussing the match and how it played out, Byron says the team are disappointed to exit the competition and not reach the final but says the experience will serve him better for the future.

He explained: “Obviously we’re very disappointed. It’s a game that we went into to try and get into the final and win a trophy, but it hasn’t turned out that way. Off the back of losing in the other competition (London Senior Cup) last week we were looking to redeem ourselves but that hasn’t happened, so we’ll have to go back to training and work extra hard ahead of the competition that we are in (Premier League Cup) and the upcoming games for the rest of the season.

“It’s a great experience to come up against players who are older and wiser than me. It helps me to develop quicker and it’s a good experience for players like me who are younger. Even though it was an upsetting ending it’s still a great experience to be a part of.

“I really enjoy it (the physical tests). It’s a way to develop characteristics in my game, when I was younger I strived forward with my strength and speed but couldn’t do that as much in these types of games. You have to focus on those little details when you’re on the ball and when you do get into those scenarios you have to make sure that you give it 110% in every duel, every battle and tackle.”

The match was won by a second half strike from former Brentford B player Reece Cole who slotted home with his right foot. Byron felt neither side really stamped their authority on the game with chances traded between the sides throughout. He also says it will now be about more hard work on the training pitch to improve and learn from the coaches.

He continued: “There was no real domination from either team and I thought we had a good spell in the first 30-35 minutes in the first half but other than that neither side dominated in terms of chances and we each had some. They just ended up taking one of theirs and we didn’t.

“Every day there is a new thing to learn. There isn’t a day where I go into training and think that I haven’t learned something. Every day we’re looking to improve on all of the little details that make a massive difference and it’s great to be around such experienced coaches in Saunds (Sam Saunders), Purds (James Purdue), Neil (MacFarlane) and Steven (Pressley.)”