The youngsters netted both goals in the first-half to ease into the second round

Two first-half goals ensured MK Dons’ youngsters progressed into the second round of the FA Youth Cup at Stadium MK on Monday night, beating Shrewsbury 2-1.

Kian Osborne and Jack Mackin bagged for Gary Mills’ side in what was ultimately a cruise into the next round, though the young Salop side netted a late consolation via Isaac England.

With some key members of the Dons first-team staff and players watching from the sidelines, they saw a lot of promise in the first-half before a resilient second period as they consolidated their lead until the final whistle, something which delighted coach Mills afterwards.

“The lads showed lots of quality,” he said. “It was’t pretty at times but we showed a lot of resilience and togetherness. We’ve asked them to compete, we got through and that was the main thing.

“We wanted to come out of the blocks fast and we did so in the first-half. It was a mixed performance. We showed good quality in the first-hald and good resilience in the second. It’s a good win, winning is important for the boys, but it’s about the development of the boys, individually and collectively.

“A lot of the first-team staff and plaeyrs were here too, and that’s really appreciated. We want a microscope on the youngsters, so that’s good for everyone.

“We hope we can get another home draw and we can put another performance in.”