Mansfield Town under-19s scored six as they convincingly saw off Salford City during Tuesday afternoon’s 6-0 Youth Alliance Cup win at RH Academy.
Frontman McKeal Abdullah continued his fine form this campaign - bagging a fine hat-trick against the Ammies.
Forward-thinking midfielder Alfie King, versatile attacker Ronnie Kokkinos and a trialist also added to the scoresheet.
A resolute defensive union reduced Salford to limited attacking action throughout the cup tie.
The young Stags began proceedings at a blistering pace. Fresh from matchday squad involvement with the first-team, 18-year-old right-back Taylor Anderson whipped a venomous ball into the area on six minutes which was finished with aplomb by the arriving King to stab home.
Eager for a swift reply, Salford pushed for the leveller. Winger Ethan Smith found space in the Stags' half and had a brilliant opportunity to test Theo Avery in the Mansfield net, but Taylor Anderson made a vital interception with the Ammies' attacker poised to pull the trigger.
With just over ten minutes to go until half-time, the Stags had a superb opportunity to extend the lead from a corner. The set-piece delivery dropped kindly in the centre of the box for left-back Louis Bonser, who took aim at goal, but his effort rattled the crossbar.
On 37 minutes, Mansfield deservedly doubled their advantage. Energetic box-to-box midfielder Finn Flanagan fired at goal from distance - stinging the palms of opposition 'keeper Shea Callister - before forward McKeal Abdullah picked up the pieces to tap home his first and Stags' second of the afternoon.
Comfortable and in control, Mansfield entered the interval two goals to the good.
The Ammies started stronger in the opening moments of the second-half as Smith looked to drive his team up the pitch on the counter. Ronnie Kokkinos fouled the visitors' main threat and picked up a yellow card as a result.
Salford right-back Aiden Lancaster, who was introduced at the start of the second-half, struck the bar with his effort from the edge of the Mansfield box on 62 minutes.
Perhaps struggling for rhythm early on in the second 45, Stags' young guns soon began to reassert dominance in the contest.
Brilliant work down the left-hand side of the pitch between Bonser and centre-back Darien Wauchope opened up a great chance for the hosts on 73 minutes. Wauchope overlapped Bonser and whipped an enticing delivery into the area. The mouth-watering cross was turned home by Kokkinos to convert Stags’ third of the afternoon from close range.
Following his goal, attacker Kokkinos was replaced by a trialist with 15 minutes left to play.
The trialist made an instant impression just four minutes later. After driving beyond Salford’s right-back, he fired an effort at goal which Ammies' goalkeeper Callister could only parry. Despite the 'keeper diverting the original strike away from the goal, master marksman Abdullah tapped in from close range for his second of the match.
Displaying the predatory poaching instincts of a clinical forward, Abdullah ensured he completed his hat-trick three minutes later. Standing on the shoulder of the Ammies' defence, within the width of the goal posts and inside the six yard box, the forward was quickest to react to roll into the net, following a ricochet in the area, and make it 5-0.
The goals did not end there. With 86 minutes on the clock, an impactful trialist was played through on goal. The attacker fired the ball beyond the helpless Callister in the Salford net to wrap up a 6-0 victory for the Stags.
MANSFIELD TOWN: Avery, Anderson, Maher, Wauchope, Bonser, Carter, Flanagan, Kruszynski, Kokkinos (Trialist 75), King (Hartmann 68), Abdullah
UNUSED SUBS: Leech, Hamilton, Warnaby
SALFORD CITY: Callister, Lara, Bowen (Lancaster 46), Leeson, Cucos, Bland, Sanchez (Midley 46), Mancisidor, Padrao, Smith, McNair
UNUSED SUBS: Cooper, Malcomb
REFEREE: Matthew Friend
