Mansfield Town's academy manager John Dempster praised goalscoring duo Iyrwah Gooden and Jake Dumbleton after his side's 2-0 win against Hartlepool United in the EFL Youth Alliance yesterday.
The win saw Dempster's side replace Oldham Athletic at the top of the table, moving a point clear of the Lancashire side.
The conditions made for a difficult afternoon for both teams but Dempster was happy with how his charges handled the occasion.
"I was really pleased again, and I thought the boys coped with the windy conditions well. We played well in the second half and we ran out worthy winners," Dempster said.
"It was a big three points for the boys and they can have a well-deserved weekend off, but it's back to work on Monday and we will continue trying to improve these players."
The opening goal came courtesy of some direct running from Gooden, who calmly slotted into the bottom right corner and Dempster was full of praise for the tricky forward.
"It was a big three points for the boys and they can have a well-deserved weekend off, but it's back to work on Monday and we will continue trying to improve these players."
"He's a very effective player who has been excellent for us. He's got a lot of developing to go but he's quick and strong and has a knack for scoring goals; he's got a lot of potential."
The manager was also impressed with the contribution of goalscorer Jake Dumbleton, whose delicate, lobbed finish put the game out of reach.
"Jake's a real sharp, intelligent striker who makes good runs and if you've got players who can find him, he gets in [behind the defence] a lot.
"He's scored a lot of goals in the college league, and he's of good calibre as we signed him from Stoke City."
Dempster believes set-backs for some ex-Premier League and Championship academy players can be of huge benefit to Mansfield, who look to pick up talent who could have something to prove.
"The beauty of our academy is that a lot of the boys are from grass-roots, under 16s or boys who have been released from clubs higher up the pyramid, so we're giving them another chance.
"If we recruit the right character they can come to us with a bit of fire in their belly to prove people wrong and Jake's one of them."
