James Shan rues missed chance to go five points clear with U21s

Shan's side missed the chance to go five points clear at the top of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League Division Two table, drawing 1-1 with bottom club Brighton and Hove Albion at Tamworth FC's ground, The Lamb.

"The draw is really frustrating because we have missed an opportunity to go clear at the top of the league," said Shan. "It would have been fantastic to make a statement in the league but sadly that wasn't to be."

Although his team aren't losing, Shan's emphasis at under-21 level is on performances and he reckons his team are too patchy at the moment.

"My message to the boys after the game was that we can't play in spells," he said. "I was disappointed with our intensity levels at times, we haven't competed at the levels we know we are capable of.

"I want us to be dominant for longer periods in games."

Centre-back Shaun Donnellan headed the Baggies into the lead in the 63rd minute before Daniel Akindayini equalised for the Seagulls 14 minutes later.

"Brighton came with a game-plan and they executed it really well," said Shan. "Mooro (coach Darren Moore) has a great phrase, saying that if you can't win the game then you must not lose it and we have managed that, but the kick in the teeth is that we conceded a sloppy goal late on."

Only the top team goes up automatically to Division One at the end of the season, with second place through to fifth competing in a play-off for the second promotion spot.

Although Albion are two points clear of Derby in second, Arsenal are just one point further back and have three games in hand on the young Baggies.

The Gunners have won all five of their games so far and up next for Shan's team is a trip to North London on Friday.

"We need to be better for longer periods of time on Friday at Arsenal," he said.

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Nathan Broadhead hit a hat-trick as Albion's under-18s lost 3-0 at home to Everton on Saturday.