The youth team brightened the half-time gloom at the Abbey Stadium on Saturday when they did a half-time lap of honour to mark their clinching the South Central Youth Conference title a few hours earlier.

Their 2-0 victory over Oxford at the Simoco ground ensured that they could not be caught at the top of their conference of the FA Youth Alliance, and they will play in the Premier Merit Division for the rest of the season.

Youth team manager Dale Brooks told the Cambridge Evening News: "It has been very pleasing, not just finishing top of the league, but the performances throughout the season. Bear in mind we were competing with the likes of Wolves and West Bromwich Albion who, with all due respect, have greater finances and resources than ourselves.

"It just shows a club like Cambridge United can produce quality youth players. Two of the lads, Daniel Chillingworth and Adam Tann, have signed professional contracts and I honestly believe there are two or three more to follow. It's looking rosy for the future."

Former Wolves trainee Nathan Lamey was the hero with both goals, one from the spot, and he is looking forward to the challenge of meeting the youth teams from clubs like Bristol Rovers, Cardiff and possibly WBA, Walsall and Notts County who are still competing for promotion.

"It's a chance for us to prove we're not only the best in our area, but the best in the south of England," said Lamey. "If we can do that it's not only good for ourselves, it's good for United and makes it a lot easier for the young lads to get contracts playing in a successful youth team. The lads have worked hard all season and done really well. I've done well for myself scoring goals, but it's not just about me scoring, there's a lot of hard work all over the pitch."

In the next stage of the season the young Us will play eight games, home and away, and the Merit Division has a northern and southern section. The side accruing the most points overall will be crowned national FA Youth Alliance champions, and Brooks commented, "It should be a stiffer challenge for us, but we are quietly confident we can compete with anyone at the moment."