Two goals from Callum Stead and one each from Arthur Read and Josh Neufville secured a terrific 4-0 win over the Blues.

Awford said he was proud of the way his team responded from the defeat at the weekend to Kempston Rovers and how they used what they had practiced on the training ground to good effect.

"I was really pleased tonight," he said. "I thought we dominated possession and dominated the game and fully deserved the win.

"We controlled the game. They only had the once chance in the first half. Tiernan made a good save one-on-one. But that was the only real blip in terms of solidity tonight. So overall they had that physical challenge tonight.

"We are still only a youth team, we finished the game with four 15-year-olds on the pitch, so you're always going to have that physical disparity when you play against men, but we coped with that really well and we moved the ball really quickly and sharply.

"Our passing was a lot sharper than it was at the weekend against Kempston – we did a little bit of work on that – so it was pleasing to see the work we did on the training ground yesterday come off. It came together tonight."

Awford was also keen to praise his team's performance against last night's hosts rather than individuals, as his side were solid at the back and strong going forward.

He continued: "I don't want to single anybody out but he got his two goals so you have to give Stead praise for that. I thought as a unit and individually we were good tonight.

"There were a lot of good performances out there and obviously that brings a good collective team performance. So Callum got a good couple of goals in the first half, Arthur Read has got a good one, Josh Neufville scored a nice fourth goal as well so yes overall I was pleased with the way we move the ball."

You can next see the academy squad in action this Friday, when they take on AFC Dunstable in the Bedfordshire FA Premier Cup at Creasey Park.

Image credit: L-S PHOTOGRAPHY