Youth coach Steve Spooner

Two late goals from Jamie Sheldon saw Blues Under 18's secure a 2-0 win away at Southampton at the weekend.

Sheldon struck his goals in the 69th and 75th minutes to give the Under 18's their first victory since January.

Youth Coach Steve Spooner said the manner of the performance, combined with a clean sheet demonstrated that his side was heading in the right direction.

"For the lads it was nice to get a win and keep a clean sheet, although to be fair we didn't play any better than times when we've been beaten," said Spooner.

"But this time we scored goals instead of missing opportunities and they were two great goals as well from Jamie Sheldon.

"I felt that at the start we became a little bit embroiled in their long ball game and we didn't play it out enough from the back.

"But then we got it down and we started playing and put more pressure on them and created several chances and could have been 3-0 up at half time

"In the second half we didn't start very well and we were under the cosh for the first five or ten minutes, but then we started to get into the game again and won second balls and played higher up the pitch and created the chances which culminated in us taking the lead.

"The first goal involved good movement and textbook finishing.

Jamie Sheldon scored twice for Blues against Southampton

"It started on the left hand side and there was some interplay before the ball was fed across the pitch and Jamie has got in down the outside of their left back and hit it right in the top corner.

"And for his second goal it was headed down to him on the edge of the box and he hit it on the half volley and kept it down well.

"He put it right in the bottom corner and technically it was a great goal.

"Although we scored two, we could have comfortably won by four or five with the amount of chances we created."

Spooner continued: "It's nice that they've now gone three games with two clean sheets and they're getting their just desserts.

"The signs are very encouraging and I believe we are playing football in the right way.

"Although if we're doing our job right we won't always have our best players available because they'll be up training with the reserves and the first team."

Southampton U18'S 0 Blues U18'S 2

Blues: Lyness, Rutter, Joyce, O'Brien, Rowe, Preston, Hubbins, Newbury, Gradwell, Sheldon, Milojevic (Moses-Garvey).

Goals: Sheldon (69, 75)