The U18's successfully navigated their place in the third round of the EFL Youth Alliance Cup on Tuesday afternoon, with a 3-0 victory over Cheltenham Town.
It was a second half hat-trick from Harry Warwick that proved to be the difference on the afternoon, with the victory providing the U18's with back to back wins following their positive result on the weekend over Plymouth Argyle.
The performance was pleased the Academy staff, as Tom Parrinello details how the squad once again took on board advice at half time to produce a match-winning second half performance.
"Cheltenham are very physical and very direct and have pace and power in forward areas, and on a tight pitch the boys defended the box well and won first contacts within their individual battles which was pleasing.
"In a poor first half, which at times wasn’t great to watch in all honesty, the boys came in at half time with the game level at 0-0.
"We asked for more in terms of quality on the ball in the second half and the boys once again responded fantastically. Harry Warwick latched on to a hopeful long ball to open the scoring and quickly doubled his goal tally from the penalty spot after Kinsly Murray had been fouled.
"The scoring was complete after a clinical counter-attack was finished off by Warwick for his hat-trick in which was an excellent goal.
"It was another positive performance from the boys scoring three goals and equally as important was keeping a clean sheet, something which we didn’t do enough of last season.
"Again some really pleasing individual performances and the boys are really starting to improve and progress both individually and as a group.
"After picking up a couple of injuries recently it’s also pleasing to be able to involve some of the U16s in the group more often and those involved didn’t look out of place at all which is a massive plus."
The U18's are in action again this Saturday as travel to face Portsmouth's U18's.
Starting XI: 1. Graeme Anderson, 2. Luca Hoole, 3. Levi Paul, 4. Tom Mehew (c), 5. Scott Isherwood, 6. Jamie Bremner, 7. Kinsly Murray, 8. Lewis Clutton, 9. Harry Warwick, 10. Isaiah Crawford, 11. Ollie Hulbert
Subs:12 Sam Heal, 20. Harry Thomas-Barker, 14. Dan Morris, 17. George Fowler, 18. Mason Raymond