A brace from Nabil Touazi, one from Felix Nmecha and a brilliant 12-minute hat-trick from Rabbi Matondo sealed a 6-2 victory over Sunderland at the CFA, a result that leaves Gareth Taylor’s side six points clear of second-place Liverpool.
Sunderland capitalised on a disjointed start to the game from City when Lee Connelly put them ahead, finishing first-time past Pawel Sokol from inside the area.
City soon began to threaten. Rabbi Matondo fired just wide of the upright, before Tommy Doyle flashed a free-kick just over the bar.
They levelled things up when Nabil Touaizi, who led the line brilliantly throughout, produced a cool finish past Anthony Patterson in the Sunderland goal - but it wasn’t until the second-half they went ahead for the first time. Doyle’s deep corner found its way to Felix Nmecha, whose attempted cross somehow went in off the post.
Connelley produced another fine poacher’s finish to make it 2-2 but City soon took control and began to pick Sunderland apart at will.
Nmecha’s blocked effort found its way to Ryan Corrigan on the left, and he delivered a superb ball into the box for Touaizi to head home and make it 3-2.
The game then became the Matondo show. His first saw him fire a powerful low shot that nestled into the bottom corner, and by now, City were running rampant.
Five minutes later he beat the offside trap to round Patterson and tap home to grab City’s fifth, before repeating the trick with nine minutes remaining, again running beyond the Sunderland backline before lifting the ball over Patterson and finishing from close range.
Five wins from five, 19 goals scored and six conceded represents a fine start to the new season for the young Blues.
