ACADEMY manager Joe Roach believes his Cherries young guns are benefiting from the “good culture” at Dean Court.

Roach was speaking after Sam Surridge’s goal had earned Cherries a 1-0 win over Oxford on Saturday to consolidate their position at the top of the Youth Alliance.

An eighth win in a run of nine undefeated matches in the South West division came hot on the heels of Cherries under-16s winning their league the previous week.

Cherries, managed by Carl Fletcher, mastered some tricky conditions and Surridge netted the only goal in the 70th minute following a cross from Joe Quigley.

Roach told the club website: “I thought the performance over the course of 90 minutes was very solid. Overall, we bettered our performance from last week but just couldn’t finish in the first half.

“We had a lot of possession but need to start being a bit more penetrative and get in behind teams. Possession doesn’t always mean you are going to get all three points.

“As the second half went on, we could have scored four or more goals but their goalkeeper pulled off some brilliant saves.”

Roach added: “We spoke in the dressing room after the game that the feeling around the club, the training ground and at the games is terrific. It is all the way from the first team down to the under- 16s.

"Everyone is working hard and has the same understanding about where we are and where we want to go. We have a good culture at the club that has been embedded from the top.

“This season, the youth team has gone about their job (diligently) every day on the training ground and in the classroom with their education.

No matter what they do, they do it to a standard and that standard comes on to the football pitch.

“Everyday everyone is trying to do something to identify how to better ourselves. It is a really good environment to be around.”

Cherries: O’Flaherty, Lee, Lander, Randall, Harfield, Butcher, Worthington, Young (O’Connell, 65), Holmes (Millar, 75), Surridge, Quigley.