Sam Edozie capped a fine personal display by claiming a brace with Lewis Fiorni, Oscar Bobb, James McAtee and Liam Delap also on target for Gareth Taylor’s side who struck four times in the final 20 minutes.
It’s now 10 games unbeaten in all competitions for City who have also extended our lead at the top of the Under 18 North standings to six points.
What happened
Taylor’s young charges got off to the perfect start as we raced into a third minute lead.
With a strong wind at our backs, skipper Cole Palmer cut inside and threaded through ball to Sam Edozie who coolly slotted home past the Boro keeper to get City up and running.
Palmer and Edozie linked up to great effect again on nine minutes with a deft give and go before Palmer’s curling shot was cleared off the line.
With City in complete control, the bar then came to Boro’s rescue on 27 minutes, Lewis Fiorini’s 18-yard drive smacking back off the underside after more fine work by Edozie.
Despite being against the wind after the break, McAtee was inches wide of doubling our lead on 52 minutes his gliding header inches wide after a superb Fiorini ball had found Edozie in space on the left flank.
However, our application and perseverance was justly rewarded on 57 minutes as we doubled our lead in fine fashion.
Fiorini delivered a superb 20-yard free kick that went in off the underside of the bar to extend our advantage.
Boro though provided an almost instant response. From a corner the ball ricocheted in the box before going in off the shins of Luke Mbete-Tatu.
The woodwork then denied City again on 71 minutes, Palmer’s low shot striking the post after a twisting run at the heart of the Boro defence.
But City were not to be denied and we served up a final flourish which brought us four further goals in the final 20 minutes.
First Oscar Bobb and substitute Liam Delap exchanged passes before Bobb finished with aplomb.
McAtee then found the target in remarkable style from the acutest of angles before Delap got in on the scoring act, bundling home after Palmer’s shot was parried.
In a frenzy of goal mouth activity, Boro sub Callum Kavanagh then registered the visitors’ second strike before, deep into injury time, Edozie rounded off another fine afternoon’s work with his second and City’s sixth to seal the deal.
How we lined up
Cieran Slicker was in goal, shielded by a back four of, Sammy Robinson, CJ Egan-Riley, Luke Mbete-Tatu and Kwaku Oduroh. Joe Hodge was the midfield anchor with Lewis Fiorini and skipper Cole Palmer also in the engine room. James McAtee, Oscar Bobb and Sam Edozie formed the attacking trident.
What it means
City not only maintain our unbeaten start to 2020 but also go six points clear at the top of the Under 18 Premier League North standings from Liverpool, who do have two games in hand.
What’s next
Gareth Taylor’s young charges are back in action on Thursday night when we resume FA Youth Cup action with a fifth-round tie at home to Fulham.
Kick off at the Academy Stadium is 7pm.
