If a lack of goals in first team matches has proven frustrating for Saints fans of late, then those who ventured out to support the under-21s in action at St Mary’s could not register such a complaint.

Four goals in double quick time against Derby sealed the young Saints side a 4-2 win and a place in the final of the Under-21 Premier League Cup where they will face Blackburn over two legs for the trophy.

Martin Hunter’s side certainly deserved their victory. They had superior quality in the free scoring first half, and also the ability to make themselves hard to break down as they shut the match down in the second.

Naturally their front men will grab the headlines.

Sam Gallagher was almost unplayable in the first period.

He was out on the right and had the speed and physical strength of a first team player up against youth teamers, not to mention some quality too.

Ryan Seager proved what a lethal striker he is, hunting in the penalty area and producing some clinical finishes to seal a memorable hat-trick.

Though the under-21s are all about developing players for the first team, as they have done so successfully, it still means a lot to the club to win things at this level.

It underscores the progress and the commitment to youth that is at the heart of what Saints are doing.

To think that eight of the side that started the game had already featured at some stage for the first team, and the likes of Harrison Reed, Matt Targett and James Ward-Prowse who could still play at this level are with the senior squad, just emphasises how productive Saints are at youth level.

Derby were no pushovers. They arrived full of confidence as they romp away in their own league, but they were simply not as good as Saints.

This first half was incident packed to say the least.

There were six goals in 21 minutes and a saved penalty too.

That spot kick was the first inkling as to just how open this match might be as Ivan Calero cut into the box from the left wing and was tripped as he went outside Niall Mason. Calero stepped up to take the penalty himself but his well struck effort was just a bit too central and Paulo Gazzaniga made the stop diving to his right.

The first goal arrived on seven minutes as the ball was pulled back to Tom Koblenz who produced a superb first time strike from just outside the area to give Derby the lead.

Their advantage lasted less than a minute though as Jake Sinclair flicked a pass towards Seager in the area. He was quickly challenged but the loose ball broke to Sam Gallagher who side footed home from eight yards out.

Saints took the lead on 14 minutes as a brilliant right wing cross from Gallagher picked out Seager, who had peeled off his man, and he headed home from the middle of the penalty area.

Again though there was less than a minute between goals as this time Derby hit back.

Calero was again at the heart of it, bombing down the left and cutting into the box. He was stopped as Saints got a foot in to divert the ball away from him but Callum Guy met it 20 yards out with a fierce low drive that flew into the bottom corner for 2-2.

Remarkably it took another nine minutes before a further goal, but it marked the start of two in four minutes as Seager completed his hat-trick.

The first on 24 minutes was created by a good pass from Sinclair that Seager was able to finish first time right footed into the far corner.

He made it 4-2 and completed his personal milestone as Mason cut in from the right and managed to get a shot to squirm under the body of Derby keeper Jonathan Mitchell. It left Seager with the simplest of finishes, slamming into an empty net from a yard or two.

After the crowd had caught their breath at the break came a much more subdued second period.

As is so often the way, the game didn’t remain as pulsating, but Saints knew they had the tie in the bag if they defended well.

They were far more solid and compact, they made themselves hard to break down and the Rams ran out of ideas.

Without any real space to play in out wide they were far less threatening.

Indeed, in the second period they only really gave Gazzaniga one thing to do, and even that, a shot from Max Lowe, was straight down the middle and a comfortable hold for the keeper.

It was Saints who came closest to adding to the goal tally as Seager’s cross found Dominic Gape whose first time side footed finish back across goal was saved by Mitchell diving to his left.

It was professional to the last from Saints who proved again what quality they have in their ranks. A first major youth trophy since 2006 would be fitting.

Saints: Gazzaniga, Mason, McCarthy, Wood, Debayo, Hesketh, Gape, Sinclair, Isgrove (Sims 90), Gallagher, Seager (McQueen 90).

Derby: Mitchell, Hendrie (Zanzala 86), Sharpe, Rawson, Lowe (McDonald 73), Hanson, Koblenz (Vernam 79), Bunjaku, Guy, Calero, Thomas.