SAINTS will play Ipswich Town in the club's first-ever FA Youth Cup final next week after dramatically beating Wolves on penalties at Molineux last night.

The club's under-18s held their nerve in front of a partisan 8,803 crowd to beat Wolves 5-4 in the shoot out and book their place in the two-legged, Sky-televised final - starting with the home leg at St Mary's next Monday (kick off 7.45pm).

But Wolves were within two minutes of knocking Saints out at Molineux - before Leon Best kept the favourites in the cup by equalising deep into extra-time.

Then David McGoldrick scored the winning penalty to set up a mouth-watering final, which will conclude with a second leg at Ipswich's Portman Road on Friday, April 22.

Head of youth Steve Wigley said: "I thought I left all the stress behind me when I stopped being head coach of the football club!

"My nerves and my heart have probably been tested more than they've ever been tonight.

"But now we need to rest, regroup and look forward to a big week, starting on Monday, when hopefully our supporters will come out in the numbers like Wolves did and generate an atmosphere like that at St Mary's.

"Knowing what a good footballing side Ipswich are, I expect it will be a night to enjoy from a football connoisseur's point of view and I would advise people to leave Monday night free.

"It's live on Sky but don't watch it at home - come and watch the real thing."

Saints led 1-0 from the first leg but drew 3-3 on aggregate after extra time against Wolves, despite taking a ninth-minute lead on the night when McGoldrick broke his FA Youth Cup duck.

Wolves hit back with two second half goals through Thomas Stewart and substitute Jordan Fitzpatrick and went 3-2 ahead on aggregate in extra-time through midfield prodigy Mark Davies

But Best's 118th minute equaliser set up the penalty shoot out - and Saints scored every one.

Wigley added: "When Leon scored we felt we were going through to the final, we had practised penalties in the morning and we always had in mind who would take them if it came to that.

"Seven or eight of them volunteered to take one but the main worry was having five of them who were still on the pitch and not suffering with cramp!

"I feel relieved, not for me, but for that group of players who have achieved so much this season.

"There's nothing worse than not progressing from a semi-final. That would have been very, very hard to take for them.

"The players got us through tonight with big hearts and spirit.

"But you have to give Wolves unbelievable credit.

"At 2-0 on aggregate, we were on top, the game was not a problem, and they came out in the second half and have been a credit to their football club, their coach and all the people that turned up.

"Over the two legs it would be fair to say that we are the better side but Wolves stretched us as much as anyone has this season, if not more."

Ipswich booked their place in the final with a 4-1 aggregate win against Tottenham after their 2-1 victory at White Hart Lane last night.