Luke Varney and Shane McLoughlin both scored twice, Adam McDonnell netted a penalty and Larsen Touré curled home a brilliant freekick as Town’s U21s thrashed Bristol City 6-1 at Playford Road. All the Blues’ goals came in the first half with the Robins’ solitary reply Shawn McCoulsky’s penalty kick nine minutes before the end.
Town included on-trial 19-year-old right-back Kane Smith, who plays for Evo-Stik Southern Premier League side Hitchin Town.
Smith spent time on trial with West Brom and Crystal Palace earlier in the season, featuring for the Eagles’ U21s, while Brighton, Reading, West Brom and Bristol City have also been keeping tabs.
He joined Hitchin from Biggleswade Town in December 2014, having previously been with Luton’s youth set-up. A midfielder earlier in his career, he broke into the Hitchin side this time last year and quickly made an impression.
At a sunny Playford Road, the Blues started on top with Varney forcing visiting keeper Jojo Wollacott into a save down to his left in only the second minute.
The first Town goal came only two minutes later when Irish U18 international McLoughlin, one of six youngsters offered a pro deal by the Blues last week, hooked a loose ball over his shoulder and into the roof of the net following a corner on the right.
On 12 it was 2-0. Andre Dozzell, who has been handed the number 41 shirt having travelled with the first team to Huddersfield at the weekend, played a clever pass for Varney to run on to on the right of the area.
The striker laid the ball into the path of the on-rushing Touré, who was felled by keeper Wollacott. McDonnell slammed the spotkick confidently high into the top corner.
Town continued to dominate a much younger Robins side and on 19 McDonnell was just unable to get a touch on a Touré cross.
Two minutes later trialist Smith crossed from the right and Varney headed wide at the far post.
Varney made it 3-0 in the 33rd minute when, after McDonnell had battled for the ball midway inside the visitors’ half, Ainsley Maitland-Niles played in the former Blackburn man, who slipped the ball past the advancing keeper.
Five minutes later Varney netted his second of the afternoon to make it 4-0. McDonnell powerfully headed Dozzell’s right-sided corner back across the face of goal and the Blues’ striker slid in at the far post with the ball perhaps already on its way over the line.
The goals were by now coming thick and fast and in the 42nd minute Guinean international Touré scored the best of the lot when he curled an inch-perfect 20-yard freekick into the top corner of the net giving Wollacott no chance.
A minute before the break McLoughlin broke through past a number of Bristol City defenders and took the ball into the area.
McLoughlin
Wollacott felled the Irish youngster as he took the ball past him but he was able to get up and apply the final touch with referee Paul Burnham playing a good advantage. The keeper would almost certainly have been dismissed had McLoughlin not scored.
The second half was a very different affair with the game already well won. Early on McDonnell saw a deflected shot saved, then a Dozzell effort went behind off a defender.
The Blues continued to control the game but without creating the opportunities that they had before the break.
On 74 the visitors forced Town keeper Michael Crowe into his first serious save of the afternoon, McCoulsky hitting a low shot which the Wales U21 international call-up - who is currently on loan at Braintree - claimed comfortably.
Two minutes later the Blues made a triple substitution with James Blanchfield, Chris Smith and Conor McKendry replacing Maitland-Niles, Touré and Varney.
happy to get a goal and an assist today, good 6-1 win🤔✌ðŸ»ï¸– adam mc donnell (@AdamMcDonnell97) February 29, 2016
With nine minutes left on the clock the visitors pulled a goal back from the spot when the otherwise impressive Paul Digby was adjudged to have handled as he looked to block a cross as it came in from the right. McCoulsky beat Crowe from 12 yards.
Having built up such a lead before the break, it was probably no surprise that the second period lacked the same intensity.
The Blues dominated the first period from the off and by half-time the visitors looked a well-beaten side. Their management will be pleased that they were able to stem the flood of goals after the break with double figured seeming not just possible but likely.
Good 6-1 win against Bristol today ðŸ‘ðŸ»nice early birthday present scoring two as well âš½ï¸ðŸ’• #itfc– Shane Mc Loughlin (@97Loughlin) February 29, 2016
There were impressive performances throughout the side, albeit against a much more youthful opposition team. McDonnell and Dozzell will both be pleased with their displays, while McLoughlin and Varney were both a constant handful up front.
Maitland-Niles showed confidence on the ball throughout, while Touré was simply too strong for the visitors and netted a superb freekick.
Well done my little boys to day good job @97Loughlin @AdamMcDonnell97 @Ains_7 @MichaelCrowe95 @JEmman97 pic.twitter.com/dsxRYQsILV– Larsen Toure (@Larsentoure) February 29, 2016
Trialist Smith wasn’t overly tested defensively but was competent on the ball and sent over a couple of dangerous crosses when getting forward during the first half.
U21s: Crowe, K Smith, Tabb, McDonnell, Emmanuel, Digby, Maitland-Niles (C Smith 76), Dozzell, Varney (McKendry 76), McLoughlin, Touré (Blanchfield 76). Subs: Marsden, Kenlock.
Bristol City: Wollacott, Harris, Kelly, Baldwin, Batten, Morrell, Last, Fry, Downing, Evans, McCoulsky. Subs: O’Leary, Harper, Moss, Chilekwa.