SAINTS boss Ralph Hasenhuttl believes Will Smallbone and Jake Vokins are the future of the club - and has challenged them to get even better.

The 19 year-olds netted impressive second-half goals as Saints beat Huddersfield 2-0 in yesterday’s FA Cup third-round tie.

“Will and Jake are players who are always part of our team and should be the future of the club," he said.

“Hopefully they make a good development.

“Will showed that on the ball he has some really good moves and quality and it was a fine touch [for the goal].

“Jake showed especially what I know from him, some good moves.”

Now Hasenhuttl wants them to use the experience as motivation to become Premier League players.

“Will is one of the best players we have in the youth but he was out for a long time with a calf injury and [against Huddersfield] he cramped a little.

“So he must get fitter and stronger for when the workload is high; football is more than playing with the ball, it is also fighting to get it back.

“But he hadn’t played 90 minutes for a long time. This is a problem we also have with our young lads because when they are part of our sessions we cannot always give them games with the Under 23s.

“We must find a way to pass this so they are in the right shape to play 90 minutes.”

Hasenhuttl spoke highly of Vokins in pre-season before Matt Targett was allowed to join Aston Villa, but wants him to improve his defensive play.

“Jake’s very, very forward oriented but the reverse gear sometimes takes a bit longer, especially the duels in defence are not always clinical and strong enough,” he said.

“It’s up to us to work with him and make him better and this is what we’ll do.”