Under-23s goalkeeper Carl Rushworth believes Albion’s recent exploits in league action can help them in the EFL Trophy tonight.
Albion picked up their first three points of the Premier League 2 campaign with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea last Friday.
Rushworth kept his first clean sheet of the season and he hopes that the game management Albion showed towards the end can be of benefit in the future.
He said, “There was a maturity in our game management. We showed a different side to us which you don’t often see in under-23s football. We needed to slow it down and get the opposition a bit frustrated.
“At times it was a bit of a scruffy game because neither team was able to keep the ball very well. But we stuck together, defended as a squad and put our bodies on the line.
“Because we are a young group we needed the older ones in the squad to drive us and I thought they did that.”
This evening’s game against Charlton Athletic at The Valley is Albion’s final group stage match and Simon Rusk’s side need to win to have any chance of reaching the knockout stage.
Rushworth said, “It is going to be one of our toughest games of the season, but we’re excited to play them. They have players who have just come down from the Championship.
“You get a feel for what is required against those players. They’re massive games for a young squad like ours.
“It’s been a fantastic learning experience so far, playing against EFL sides. It’s obviously a higher quality opposition than when I was playing at Worthing [on loan last season].
“They are physical and they like to put the ball in the box and test you if you’re a young goalkeeper. It can be difficult, but it’s enjoyable.
“If we go out on loan to get experience this is what we’re going to be coming up against every week. The competition is a great way to see how you cope.”