Saturday 23 January 2016 19:53, UK
Brighton boss Chris Hughton believes Championship football is benefiting the development of striker James Wilson hugely after the Manchester United loanee hit the winner in the Seagulls' 2-1 home victory over Huddersfield.
Albion bounced back after three consecutive home defeats to climb to third place with substitute Wilson having the final say with the decisive goal in the 67th minute.
Anthony Knockaert laid on the opener for Bobby Zamora and, after Harry Bunn had levelled in first-half stoppage time, Knockaert curled in a perfect cross for Wilson to settle the issue with his third goal for the club.
England U21 international Wilson is with Brighton until the end of the season and Hughton expects this arrangement to hold tight while the experience continues to benefit the player.
He said: "The intention is to give him valuable experience and be regularly involved in games. It will toughen him up physically.
"He knows what the Championship is all about now and that is valuable experience for him."
Hughton said it was for others to judge whether Wilson was ready for United, adding "Ultimately, he'll be sent back after half a season's experience at this level.
"He scored a really good goal, is having the benefit of hard-fought and aggressive games and at the minute it is working out very well."
Hughton felt his men were "not at their best" in the first half but imposed themselves better as the game wore on.
He added: "This is the first time that Bobby Zamora has started two games in a row (in his second spell at Brighton) and his goal was a classic counter-attack. The way Huddersfield play, it leaves them open to it."
Huddersfield manager David Wagner suggested a draw would have been a fair result after the teams went in 1-1 at the break.
The German said: "I think in the most part of the game we did quite well. If we had got something from the game it wouldn't have been unfair.
"I think it was important not to make early mistakes and unfortunately for us we did.
"In the second half there was nothing much between the sides but at 2-1 down we didn't create enough chances."
The Terriers played the final six minutes with 10 men after defender Tommy Smith received his second yellow card for a foul on Kazenga LuaLua, a decision Wagner accepted and had no complaints with.
But the Town boss was disappointed that referee Graham Horwood also booked skipper Mark Hudson, Martin Cranie and Joel Lynch, saying: "There were too many yellow cards in my side.
"Now we have to find solutions next weekend (home to Cardiff) as Hudson and Smith cannot play and we will address this."
