The 17-year-old hit a brace against the Potters inside 10 minutes after tapping in Farid Alfa-Ruprecht’s low cross and firing home a shot from an Ashton Muir chip into his path.
Stoke pulled a goal back five minutes later, when Ali Hayder raced towards goal and rolled the ball over the line.
However, Warhurst was on hand to regain our two goal advantage after nipping in front of Ben Houston and firing into the back of the net.
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Wilkinson paid tribute to our starlet and praised his side for our fast start.
“It was important because it meant that we felt comfortable in the game from quite early on,” he expressed.
“We started well, created a few chances and obviously scored two goals, so the lads started at the right tempo which is what we ask for and with the right intensity.
“If you do that you give yourself a chance, so it was pleasing the way we started the first 20 minutes.”
Warhurst’s hat-trick against Stoke takes him up to 10 goals for the season, and his head coach was full of admiration for the striker.
“Listen, he’s a goalscorer, he’s in the right place all the time and he works incredibly hard, so he earns his goals,” Wilkinson added.
“Including the Watford game [in the FA Youth Cup] and here today, that’s four goals in the six-yard box, I know one of them today was a bit further out but that’s where you get most of your goals from.
“It’s about being in the right positions consistently and hopefully in a team like ours, he’ll get opportunities to score, so really pleased for him. He just needs to going and keep getting in the right positions.”
Watch the full interview with Ben Wilkinson via the video above.
