Brentford Under-21s defender Josh Stephenson has opened up on his time at the club so far and stressed his desire to finish a positive season strongly.

Neil MacFarlane's side travel to face Queens Park Rangers at their west London rivals' training ground on Friday afternoon in the Professional Development League (2pm kick-off BST).

Stephenson joined Brentford at the back end of 2024 and the defender has enjoyed a successful campaign so far.

“I’ve really enjoyed my first season here," said Stephenson.

"It has been a great opportunity to get minutes under my belt and test myself at a high level. I’ve been grateful for the amount of game time I’ve had – that’s all a young player can ask for.

"Every match and every training session has helped me improve and grow not just technically, but mentally as well.

“From a leadership perspective, I feel like I’ve taken big steps forward. Coming into a new group, you always want to earn the respect of your team-mates and coaches, and I think I’ve managed to do that."

The U21s have lost two of their last five league fixtures, minor blips in what has otherwise been a successful season, however Stephenson is determined to finish the year strongly with the group.

“We’ve had a few slip-ups recently and as a group we know we need to bounce back," he continued.

"That’s part of the game – you learn from it, you stick together, and you go again. There’s still a lot to play for and that’s what keeps us all motivated.

"It has been a long season but we want to finish the season strongly because we have the chance to do something really special."

The defender added: “We’re excited to be in this position, competing on multiple fronts as the season comes to a close.

"It’s a credit to the work everyone’s put in – staff, players and just everyone involved. We’ve got the London Senior Cup final, then there’s the Premier League Cup semi-final away at Southampton and we could still make the PDL playoffs.

“I was excited to join Brentford anyway – it’s a club that gives young players a real platform – but the fact that we’re fighting for silverware just makes it even more exciting. You don’t always get that in your first year at a new club, so I feel lucky and I want to make the most of it."

Last time out

Brentford impressed early on last time out in their game against Watford, controlling possession in windy conditions. They eventually took the lead midway through the second period through Iwan Morgan. However, two late goals from Watford saw the hosts snatch the victory from the Bees.

Back in October though, the reverse fixture against QPR at Wheatsheaf Park saw Brentford at their clinical best, running out 4-1 winners. Ashley Hay, now on loan at Cheltenham Town, starred with a stunning hat-trick, while Morgan also found the net in a dominant display.

About QPR U21s

QPR U21s are 10th in the PDL south table, having won seven, drawn four and lost 17 of their 28 league fixtures so far.

The Hoops will be in search of their first league victory in nine games.

They are, however, in the semi-final of the Premier League Cup, where they will face Burnley. Wins for Brentford and QPR in their next matches in that competition would mean a west London derby in the final.

Match coverage

The club will have updates of the game against QPR on social media, as well as a match report on the club's official website and app.