South Shields booked their place in the first qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup with a dominant 8-0 win at Whitley Bay on Wednesday.
Two early headers from Alfie Marriott set the tone and when Joe Errington and George McArthur also headed home before half-time, the young Mariners’ passage was almost assured.
Substitute Sam Porthouse slammed in a fifth and Alex Thompson completed the scoring with an excellently-taken hat-trick as Shields motored through the gears.
They were on top from the outset at Hillheads, with Marriott almost scoring inside four minutes when his header from an Olly Cresdee corner was deflected wide.
That combination proved to be potent, and less than three minutes later provided the opening goal as Marriott powered in a header.
Cresdee assisted Marriott for his second goal on 11 minutes with another header from another corner, and the centre-back almost had a hat-trick soon after, only to nod over the bar.
Shields had numerous further opportunities before adding a third when Cresdee’s corner found Errington and his header squirmed past the goalkeeper.
Cresdee was proving to be the corner king, and his next delivery was headed against the bar by Errington and bounced to McArthur, who was able to convert the rebound from close range.
Porthouse was introduced at the break and was among the goals just 12 minutes later, latching onto a superb pass by Thompson before delivering a decisive finish into the opposite corner.
Thompson got in on the act in the next attack with a powerful low strike, and he added the finishing touches with two further goals later in the second half, first forcing the ball home after being found by Noah Farrington and then scoring with the last kick of the game from a James Thew pass.
Shields now await the draw for the first qualifying round, which is due to be held on the week commencing September 12th.
South Shields: Seymour, Errington, Taylor, Neary, Marriott, Farrington, Cresdee (Duffy 62), Smith (Fletcher 62), Thompson, Thew, McArthur (Porthouse 46). Subs not used: Campbell, Bell, Armstrong, Rhodes.
Goals: Marriott (7, 11), Errington (36), McArthur (38), Porthouse (57), Thompson (58, 72, 90).
Image: Craig McNair/ID Event Photography.
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