Oldham Athletic youth team's latest FA Youth Cup win provided an early birthday present for Nicky Adams.

The youth team boss turned 38 on Wednesday, but the celebrations started early after his youngsters secured a 2-1 win at Boundary Park on Monday night.

Adams has been impressed by the way the youngsters have conducted themselves since joining the club this summer.

And he was particularly pleased with the manner in which they took his instructions on board, against a more experienced South Shields youth team, to progress.

Mohammed Mustafa scored both goals for Latics, either side of half-time.

South Shields pulled a goal back with 15 minutes to go, but Oldham's Under 18s showed determination to secure the win, having had to rely on a penalty shoot-out in the previous round.

"It was intense, especially at the end. Everyone knows what I'm like, I live and breathe football and I was trying to kick every ball for the lads. Sometimes I need to calm down a little bit. But I'm just excited for them as a group, they're a top bunch of kids," said Adams.

"They're a brand new group and what they've taken on board already in a short space of time, I can't be more pleased with them.

"A lot of the lads have never played at this level before so a massive shout-out to the staff who work with me, we put a lot of time and effort into them and what they took on board showed in the performance and I can't be more delighted with them."

Adams added: "You could see the nerves before the game with the history of the football club, playing on Boundary Park, it's a massive night for them. As a young kid it doesn't get much better.

"So all we said to them was 'This is your night, go and be the best version of yourself, and go and enjoy it, go and enjoy the game. And if you do that and take everything on board, I've got no issues'.

"I knew it would be a tough game, but nights like these are special for the boys, and that's what it's all about."

Latics U18s: Whitelaw, Dielunvuidi, Bramham, Mulcahy, Ndienguila, Khan, Mustafa, Amos, Amadin, Holden, Muhammed.

Subs: Wild, Nixon, Leonard, Fryda, Mulonda, Dengoue, Wilson.