Jack Connor scored four as Northampton Town Under 18s thrashed Milton Keynes Dons 6-1 in the EFL Youth Alliance Merit League on Saturday.
Peter Abimbola and Max Dyche scored the young Cobblers’ other goals on a windy morning at Moulton College.
The hosts made a fast start, and they had a two goal lead within 20 minutes.
Three minutes in, they pressed the Dons backline, and Connor dispossessed the goalkeeper before rolling the ball into the empty net.
Abimbola headed home from a curling Kieran Watkins-Robinson cross less than a quarter-of-an-hour later.
Dons improved and pulled a goal back before half-time with a 20-yard free-kick which found the bottom corner despite a hand from Charlie Woods.
The visitors struggled against the wind in the second-half, and the Cobblers took advantage.
10 minutes in, Dyche nodded in off the far post from Tommy Curry’s inswinging corner.
Connor doubled his tally a few minutes later, poking the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs from six yards.
He completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes remaining, controlling the ball with his chest and volleying into the bottom corner from long range.
The striker added a fourth late on, backheeling home from Dylan Hill’s low cross.
The dominant victory marked a fantastic start to the youth team’s Merit League campaign. They travel to Luton Town next week. Both meetings in the regular season ended in draws.
Starting XI - Woods (GK); Bailey (C), Tomlinson, Dyche, Lashley (sub Smith-Howes, 83); Cross (sub Scott, 26), Hill, Abimbola; Watkins-Robinson, Connor, Curry (sub O’Keefe, 72). Unused subs - Dadge (GK), Ndefo.
Goals - Connor (1-0, 3), Abimbola (2-0, 17), Dyche (3-1, 55), Connor (4-1, 58), Connor (5-1, 80), Connor (6-1, 87).
Assists - Watkins-Robinson (2-0, 17), Curry (3-1, 55), Bailey (4-1, 58), Hill (6-1, 87).
Yellow card - Tomlinson (foul).