Bolton Wanderers await the winners of the FA Youth Cup match between Gillingham and Stevenage tonight.
The Gills are at home in the FA Youth Cup third round against a Stevenage side who haven’t been beaten in the Youth Alliance South league this season.
Stevenage are second in the table but their league rivals Gillingham will hope home advantage counts at Priestfield tonight.
First-team boss Gareth Ainsworth has included a handful of the under-18s in his matchday squads this season, including a senior debut for the youth captain Cruz Beszant.
Louie Dayal was on the bench for the League 2 match against Colchester United recently, and both he and Beszant featured in all three EFL Trophy matches for the Gills this season.
Ainsworth likes the look of winger Sullivan Booth and is keen to keep a close eye on Joe Dunne’s under-18s.
He’ll be among those watching from the stands for the midweek cup clash.
He said: “I am still getting used to the names but there is a young boy with a long throw in there and I am keeping my eye on him!
“There is a real good connection between the under-18 coach Joe Dunne, Bryan (Bull, the academy manager), Patto (Mark Patterson, head of coaching development). We are all close, we all talk, and on in their in the youth cup next round, I’m there, I want to be there.
“Wednesday is historically our day off but there is no way I am going to miss that. I want the boys to know that I am coming in and want to see them.”
Ainsworth has made youth academy graduate Sam Gale a mainstay in his League 2 team’s defence and hopes he can show the way forward for other young hopefuls.
He said: “Galey should be a shining example to some of these young boys about exactly what you can achieve.
“He’s been brilliant this season and is hopefully a shining light on that academy. The players will get their chance of they’re good enough – age doesn’t mean anything to me, it’s about if they are good enough.”
Gillingham won 4-2 away to Hertford Town in round one thanks to a Sargent double and goals from Sullivan Booth and Michael Luxton.
In round two, they won 4-2 on penalties against Forest Green Rovers after that match ended 2-2. Zak Whitelock scored the winning penalty.
If the match ends in a draw after 90 minutes, extra-time will be played and if still level, then a penalty shootout will take place to decide the winners.
Stevenage made it to the third round after beating Eastbourne Borough 6-0 in the first round an then seeing off Merstham 2-1 in the second round.
Awaiting the winners of the game at ME7 are Youth Alliance North side Bolton, who are already through to the fourth round after a shock win over Under-18 Premier League side Leicester City earlier this month, winning on penalties after drawing 2-2 after extra-time.
Bolton have been drawn at home to either Gillingham or Stevenage at the club’s Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Tickets for the match at Priestfield cost £5 for adults and £2 concessions.
