HUW Emery reflected on Burton Albion’s Professional Development side’s FA Youth Cup defeat against Sheffield Wednesday and looked ahead to Friday’s EFL Youth Alliance League game against Grimsby Town.
It was a tough night for the Young Brewers last week as two first half goals saw them enter the break 2-0 down, before Wednesday added a third on the 82nd minute.
Emery felt that a slow start cost Burton, but the goals conceded were not a reflection on the team.
“I’m just gutted, I thought we started off a little bit on the back foot, I thought we could have gone on and pressed them a bit more.
“The two first half goals were lucky, they were just mistakes on our part, but on another day they don’t happen.
“For the majority of the game their striker didn’t get a sniff, so I thought that was a credit to the back four. They happen, it could have happened to them, but it happened to us and it’s just gutting."
After scoring five goals in consecutive games, Emery felt that if the team created chances they would have scored, but in the end the Young Brewers couldn’t quite get going.
"We just lacked a bit, I think we got a bit frantic in front of goal, I think we could’ve had more shots but at the end of the day we if we get a few shots in we get a few goals.”
Despite the defeat and the natural frustrations that follow, Emery believed the players that played should be proud of themselves.
“I don’t want to be too negative, but I felt we could have gone that little bit extra but the lads that came on, the lads that finished the game have done themselves proud.”
A life-long Burton Albion fan, Emery was delighted to play at the Pirelli Stadium, and believes it was a ‘special night’ for him.
“I always say it, I’m a Burton lad since I was little, so I was looking over, seeing who I could recognise so it was a special night, but just gutted that we didn’t get to put a few goals in the net for them and come away with the win.”
The Young Brewers turn their attention away from the FA Youth Cup and onto both the EFL Youth Alliance League, where they take on Grimsby Town at St George’s Park, something Emery is looking forward to.
“We’ve still got stuff to play for, we’ve got the Youth Alliance Cup and League, still got big competitions we can go and win, so we’ll look forward to that on Monday and hope to go out with the three points against Grimsby.”