Silsby sets his sights on Gillingham

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Our men's under-21s head to Priestfield tonight to play Gillingham in the EFL Trophy.

2026-10-13T06:00+01:00

Tyler Silsby believes the under-21s will be well prepared for tonight's game at Gillingham. 📸 by Simon Roe.

Tyler Silsby believes that Friday’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sheffield United in the EFL Cup sets Albion’s under-21 side up perfectly for tonight’s visit to play League Two Gillingham in the EFL Trophy.

The Yorkshiremen came to defend and spoil and referee Chay Hathway showed ten yellow cards in a lively encounter.

“I think we knew they were going to turn it into that as soon as we started,” the 18-year-old Grenada-born winger said. “But we managed to stay calm and we got the win, which was the most important thing.

‘It was a different style and probably one we're not used to, but it's good we get used to that especially with playing Gillingham tonight. It probably helped us.’

Silsby netted the winner from a pass by Valentin Joseph and is also claiming the assist for Joseph’s opening goal after Younes Ibrahim missed Silsby’s cross. Or did Ibrahim get a faint touch?

“No, that was my assist,” Silsby said. “He missed it. We've been working on it. It was nice that the goal got the team over the line.”

Silsby, of course, scored the only goal of the 2026 Premier League 2 play-off final at The Amex, the crowning moment of a successful season. “I think we always had the confidence and belief that we could win it, but when you achieve it, it helps,” he said.

“And then you go into this season with expectations, but you know what you can do. And we're trying to win everything we enter, which is why these games, like the EFL Trophy and PL2 Cup are important. They're different, but it's another competition where we believe we can win.”

After that trophy win, which was followed by victory at the Hong Kong Sevens – Silsby scoring in that final too – the start to the present campaign has been steady rather than spectacular.

“We've won more than we've lost and that's a sign of a good team. So we know we'll soon start clicking even more, but I feel like we've been doing well and getting the wins.

“So we might not have been getting the scorelines where everyone's like wow, but we're winning. And we've got the confidence in the changing room and that's all we need.”