Mark Atkinson has admitted his side have had no choice but to learn the hard way this season.
Sunderland under-18s were dealt a cruel blow on Saturday as Leicester City struck an injury-time leveller to steal a point.
While a draw points towards progression following back-to-back defeats, Atkinson was left disappointed at full-time as his side conceded in the closing stages for the second week running to squander points.
The under-18s boss has, however, remained upbeat despite his side’s barren run of form, insisting his crop of young guns are heading in the right direction.
“We want to teach the boys how to win games,” he said.
“Winning is good because it breeds confidence and that helps to develop players so we are under no illusion that it is not just about the boys and their performance.
“We want to win games as well to get the balance.
“It has been frustrating for the boys this season because wins have been hard to come by.
“Their performances recently haven’t got them what they deserve but I’m sure that will change because they are still confident,” he continued.
“They can see what they are doing is working so now we just need to keep doing what we are doing.”