TOP scorer Jamie Thomas netted a brace inside nine minutes as Wanderers under-18s ended their season on a winning note at Southampton on Saturday.

David Lee's side won 2-1 on the south coast to end the FA U18 Premier League campaign unbeaten in four matches.

The young Whites began brightly and Max Allen almost played in Ryan White before Saints stopper Jake Hallett intervened just a few minutes in.

The hosts had their chances with wide man Stuart Wilkin going close to an opener.

But it was Wanderers who made the breakthrough on the half-hour mark and it was a neat finish from 18-year-old Thomas.

He picked up a good pass from Nat Phillips before running in from the right and firing low across Hallett with an angled shot.

Nine minutes later he doubled his tally – and made it 15 for the season at U18s level – when he latched onto a long, diagonal pass from Alex Honeyball and, with Hallett advancing, he neatly lobbed the keeper from the left edge of the box.

Lee's youngsters picked up where they had left off in the second half with Chris Cvetko forcing Hallett into an early save.

The game opened up and both keepers were kept busy; Will Jaaskelainen in the Wanderers goal pulling off some fine saves.

But he was beaten seven minutes from time when Wilkin rose to convert Harley Willard's corner.

It set up a tense finish but the Whites held on to finish the season on a high with victory against a Saints side that had lost just two of their previous six games.

Lee said: "We started very well and Jamie put us ahead with two very well-taken goals, with the passes to set up both equally impressive.

"We were by far the better team in possession and dominated the play play for the majority of the game.

"We worked hard in the second half, again creating chances and were really unlucky not to score a third.

"I named four Under-16s players in the squad, which was great experience for them, and overall it was a very pleasing result against a highly-regarded academy."