Town’s U18s face their next FA Youth Cup opponents Fulham in the FA Premier Academy League on Saturday morning at the Cottagers’ Motspur Park training ground (KO 11am). The teams are due meet in a fifth round Youth Cup tie at Portman Road on a date yet to be set.

Boss Roy Keane was impressed with the 2-0 fourth round victory over Arsenal on Tuesday, but felt the youngsters could have played even better. Early goals from Ronan Murray and Connor Wickham saw the young Blues to their victory.

Keane said: “They did very well as a team, but I think they can do better. They had a very good start and a good result and I’m delighted for the staff, Sammy Morgan and Chris Kiwomya, and all the young kids. It was an important night for them and they all did well.”

“It’s nice for them to get a home draw next and it means a lot to them. It was nice to see some supporters up there as well. Nice for the kids to see that.”

The Blues boss says application is the key to academy players making it as professionals: “They all have a chance of being top footballers, but there’s a lot of work ahead for these boys, they know that.

“They need to get fitter, get stronger and need to keep a hunger. Obviously the staff can provide the foundations for that, but I always say it’s up to the players themselves whether they want to be top players or not.”

The draw for the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup has already been carried out with another home tie against either Aston Villa or Millwall awaiting the young Blues if they beat Fulham.

Keane says he also enjoyed Wednesday’s 2-2 reserves draw with Southend United: “I thought it was a very, very good reserve match. It had a good tempo and a good pace to the game, as well as a few tackles flying in. Tamás Priskin did well, led the line well and was unlikely not to score more than once.

“There was a good attitude from the senior pros with the younger lads. It was a good work-out, I really enjoyed it. Lee Martin did well too and also scored.”

The Town manager says that new reserves coach Steve Foley will still play a role with the senior squad: “Steve’s doing a very good job. He’ll still have an input with the first team, but he’s taking care of that group at the moment and we’ll finalise that in the next few weeks.”

Keane says Ben Thatcher and Shane O’Connor, who have both been out with knee ligament injuries and who shared the left-back position on Wednesday, are progressing well: “Ben had 45 minutes in the reserves and so did Shane O’Connor and I’m pleased for the two of them and now they have to kick on. There’s no game planned for next week but we might try and arrange one.”

Photo: Action Images

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