Young duo's Wales call-up

Youngsters such as Layton Maxwell have done well

Wales under-21 manager Jimmy Shoulder is set to give youth its chance in the remaining two UEFA Championship qualifiers of the current campaign.

He has called up 19-year-olds Jermaine Easter and Kevin Gall into the squad to face Norway in Drammen on Tuesday as his side look for their first win since 1997.

Easter, with Hartlepool after being released by Wolves, and Bristol Rovers' youngster Gall who has prospered after being freed by Newcastle earlier this year, will be given opportunities to stake their claims in Scandanavia.

After the encouraging 1-1 draw with Armenia in Merthyr Tydfil on Friday, Shoulder said: "Two more teenagers will be joining us to go to Norway.

Experience

"They are not exactly Premiership players but they are young, promising players who are already playing league football.

"For the make up of the squad over the past couple of matches, and now for Norway and Belarus - the last two games in our group - we intend to ship out some of the older lads who haven't quite done it for us.

"I intend to use these games as a means to provide experience for the younger boys. We might see who is up for it."

Shoulder has been criticised for dumping the older brigade, such as Ryan Green, Kevin Evans and Lee Kendall.

Development

He said: "It would not have served any purpose if I had turned out the strongest team I could at the moment, by playing all the boys who patently aren't going to be in the senior squad over the next few years, but are still just young enough to qualify for these matches.

"What we do is bring the younger age group through quicker because it will help their development. In doing that we give ourselves less chance of winning matches against older boys from other countries.

"But as it has turned out these kids have put together the best two performances we have had so far with the right attitude, effort and commitment. It has already proved to be a bonus for us."