Nottingham Forest’s Apprentices will benefit from their experiences playing on first-team pitches in the FA Youth Cup according to the Club’s Youth team coach Eoin Jess.
Forest fell to a 1-0 defeat by Middlesbrough on Wednesday but the experience of playing at the City ground provided Jess with some positives.
“You can see the ones that can rise to the big occasions,” said Jess.
“To come and play at these stadiums is a great experience, whether it’s the City Ground or anywhere else. I can’t fault their endeavour or attitude, I haven’t faulted that right throughout the season,” he added.
“We just lacked that little bit of craft and that little bit of guile that was needed.”
“They have to learn that they have to be patient but have to play with a little bit of pace when they get around the box.”
“They did have more energy in the second half, especially at the start, but this is what they will learn, they need that extra bit of quality to get to where they want to be.”
