Ruth: Quick turnaround the perfect antidote

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Albion face Nottingham Forest in Premier League 2 on Friday.

Bruce Talbot

2024-09-20T06:00+01:00

Louis Flower takes the ball down against the Chairboys. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Shannon Ruth admitted the under-21s learned some ‘harsh lessons’ in their midweek defeat to Wycombe Wanderers but believes they can grow from the experience.

Sixteen-year-old Harry Howell scored two penalties and was ‘outstanding’ according to his coach, but Albion lost 5-3 in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy and need to regroup quickly with a Premier League 2 game at Nottingham Forest to come on Friday.

Wycombe led 4-0 after 36 minutes on Tuesday and Ruth admitted, “It was a harsh lesson in men's football and we need that sometimes. It was similar to the game we had here last season, when the game got away from us very quickly.

Cam Peupion won both of Albion's penalties in our 5-3 defeat to Wycombe in the EFL Trophy. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

“We have to do better at staying in games when we're not in good moments because going forward we're always a threat. We always get on the score sheet and we always have good periods but when we're not in good periods we're conceding too many goals.

“I think sometimes when you're a young player at Brighton and you're at our training ground and playing in the PL2 it gives a false impression that the game is full of sunshine and roses.

“Tuesday showed them that the game is hard and at League One level there's some very, very good players. It was a sore one but we can use it and grow from it. You can't give anybody five goals, never mind a senior side, but there was a decent reaction from the group, certainly from 55-60 minutes onwards.”

Harry Howell scored twice from the penalty spot against Wycombe. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Howell’s emergence at the age of 16 was the main positive from Tuesday. “I thought Harry Howell was outstanding,” said Ruth. “At 16, he plays with his head up all the time and he even drops into deep midfield where he's never played before. The level that his brain works at is incredible. He's outstanding.”

Albion are currently tenth in the PL2 table after four games while Friday’s hosts Nottingham Forest sit third.

“Friday will be our third game in seven days, and sometimes a game very quickly can be the thing you need the most to get a defeat out of your system,” said Ruth.

“The group is really competitive. Two missed out on Tuesday and we’ve got Ruairi McConville, Jacob Slater, Adrian Mazilu and Josh Robertson to come back which will give us quite a big group. Noel Atom has had surgery will be back November time.”