A second half Jake Flannigan goal helped Saints U21s grab all three points against Stoke City this afternoon.

Saints’ boss Martin Hunter made three changes from the team that beat West Brom 3-1 last time out.

And it was one of those changes, Flannigan, who scored in the 53rd minute to give Saints the away win and move them up to fifth in the U21 Premier League.

The first chance came in the 14th minute when Matthew Etherington danced his way into the box and hit a left foot drive which only just went wide of Saints keeper Will Britt’s left hand post.

Britt produced another good save moments later, getting down well to save Ryan O’Reilly’s shot.

Stoke were close to breaking the deadlock when Derice Richards got a toe on an Etherington cross to divert the ball towards goal but Matt Targett was on the line to clear.

Saints’ first chance came when Omar Rowe was brought down on the edge of the box. He sent the resulting free kick just past the post. Stoke again came close to taking the lead just minutes into the second half. Winger Adam Thomas got a shot away after a mazy run down the right flank which was saved by Britt and fell to Richards, whose effort was hacked off the line. However, the deadlock was broken in the 53rd minute when the ball fell to Rowe inside the Stoke penalty area. Rowe pulled the ball back to Flannigan and the 17-year-old coolly slotted past Dale Eve. That completed a superb few days for the midfielder, who on Tuesday had helped Saints’ under-18s thrash Portsmouth 7-0 in the FA Youth Cup at St Mary’s.

Jordan Turnbull almost turned the ball into his own net as Stoke hit back.

Saints: Will Britt, Matt Young, Matt Targett, Dominic Gape, Jack Stephens, Jordan Turnbull, Jake Flannigan, Andy Robinson, Tadanari Lee, Jake Sinclair. Omar Rowe.