The U17 Shadow Squad put on a very impressive display on Saturday, running out 12-2 winners against Harrogate Railway U16s.
Despite early Town pressure, it was Railway who took the lead when their striker went through one on one and lofted the ball over James Crawford-Porter.Town equalised within minutes when a Josh Hardcastle cross was met by the head of Gabe Hopkinson, who would grab his second minutes later when Bankole Claudius-Cole beat his man out wide and found Hopkinson in the box.
Hopkinson completed his hat-trick when Kerem Erbilir beat his man inside the box and squared it for a tap in before the same two players combined for Town's fourth, this time a cross from Erbilir for Hopkinson to head home.
Hopkinson continued his impressive rate of scoring with two more before the half was done, first when Oli Bartlett played a through ball for him, then firing home from range.
Hopkinson's fifth came after Bartlett claimed his second assist with a brilliant diagonal ball to Brad Raw who finished smartly at the front post.
Town started the second half well and made their early possession count when Erbilir's shot was saved well, but Claudius-Cole was on hand to finish into the bottom corner.
Erbilir completed a hat-trick of assists when he once set up Hopkinson to tap in minutes before Freddie Harris sent in a brilliant cross for Hopkinson to head home his eighth and Town's tenth of the afternoon.
Bartlett came close to getting his name on the scoresheet, but once again the keeper saved well only for Jack Briggs to tap in the rebound.
Erbilir completed the scoring when he was found by Bartlett unmarked in the box to round off a very good performance from the Shadow Squad.
Squad
Ed Routh, James Crawford-Porter, Josh Hardcastle, George Bevitt, Oli Bartlett, Nick Travis, Ethan Goodsell-Wright, Jack Briggs, Louis Jarvis, Bankole Claudius-Cole, Freddie Harris, Kerem Erbilir, Gabe Hopkinson, Brad Raw
Goals
Hopkinson (8), Raw, Claudius-Cole, Erbilir, Briggs