Substitute Josh Allen scored a hat-trick as the Development Squad were convincing 8-0 winners against Farnborough U23s at Top Field this afternoon.
Adrian Forbes' side had a two-goal lead at half-time thanks to Ed McJannet and Oli Lynch and were even more ruthless in the second period, with six goals in the following 45 minutes.
Lynch scored a second, followed by efforts from Daniel Idiakhoa, Conor Lawless and three goals from substitute Josh Allen helped maintain the Under 21s unbeaten start to the season.
The Development Squad made an impressive start and were ahead in the first five minutes. Striker Millar Matthews-Lewis was heavily involved in the action, winning a penalty after driving forward in the penalty area. Ed McJannet, recently on international duty with Republic of Ireland U19s, took the spot-kick and found the bottom corner.
Creator Matthews-Lewis was almost a goalscorer eight minutes later, but after beating the goalkeeper with a low effort, he was denied by a Farnborough defender, who recovered well and cleared off the line. Just seconds later, Oli Lynch knocked a low shot around the keeper but once more, valiant defending kept the score at one-nil.
Left-back Josh Williams combined well with McJannet on the edge of the area before firing goalwards though it wasn’t troublesome for the Farnborough number one.
After Matthews-Lewis and Tyrelle Newton were denied with good low stops, the away sides resolve was finally broken once more just before the half-hour mark, when an unmarked Lynch headed into the top corner from captain Lawless’ cross.
Adrian Forbes’ side continued their first-half dominance and once more, Boro had their goalkeeper to thank that the scoreline wasn’t far greater at the break.
Midfielder Jayden Luker was twice unlucky, the latter of which was an impressive stop to deny the number eight from the edge of the box – with both chances in between a Josh Odell-Bature header which struck the post from Newton’s pinpoint delivery.
It was a 45-minute period in which the Development Squad completely controlled from start to finish, with 18 chances, half of those on target.
Jake Burger and Daniel Idiakhoa were introduced at the start of the second half in a midfield swap with McJannet and Luker, combing to great effect just five minutes after coming on.
A short corner was played to Burger, who laid the ball to Idiakhoa and the midfielder finished calmly into the bottom corner with his first touch.
Burger was heavily involved in Town’s fourth which arrived just two minutes later after his low shot was handled in the area and the referee pointed to the spot for the second time.
Lawless stepped up and after his penalty was saved, he smashed home the rebound to make it four.
Lynch added to his goal in the first half with another strong header before he was replaced by last week’s match-winner Tobias Braney on the hour mark.
Josh Allen joined Braney up-front, the pair that started against Queens Park Rangers Under 21s, with Matthews-Lewis also replaced, as well as Jameson Horlick who made way for Sam Bentley in between the sticks.
Forbes’ substitutions again made an immediate impact as Braney squared the ball across goal to Allen, who found the bottom corner.
Six minutes later, Allen had his second goal and Town's seventh another tenacious, brave forward play as he battled for possession with the opposition goalkeeper and had an empty net to tap in to.
By the 81st minute, Allen had secured a 16-minute hat-trick from the penalty spot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way in what was a ruthless second-half performance.
Development Squad: Horlick (Bentley 61’); Pinnington, Odell-Bature (Giwa 61’), Tompkins, Williams; Lawless (C) (Trialist 75'), Luker (Idiakhoa 45’), Newton, McJannet (Burger 45’); Lynch (Braney 61’), Matthews-Lewis (61’).
Goals: McJannet (4’), Lynch (29’, 57’), Idiakhoa (50’), Lawless (52), Allen (65’, 71', 81')