FA YOUTH CUP: Hugill hat-trick helps Sunderland U18s advance in cup
A hat-trick from Joe Hugill helped Sunderland progress to the third round of the FA Youth Cup with an emphatic 5-2 win at Shrewsbury Town.
A first half double from Hugill and one a piece from Bali Mumba and Dan Neil gave the Lads a 4-0 lead at the break.
The Salops pulled one back through Charlie Caton midway through the second period, but Hugill completed his hat-trick soon after to put the game beyond doubt.
Caton grabbed his second in injury time, but it was merely a consolation as the Lads sailed into the next round to set up a home tie with Birmingham City.
Boss Paul Bryson included Cole Kiernan and Dan Neil in his starting line-up at Montgomery Waters Meadow, as the duo returned from suspension.
Sunderland started the brightest of the two sides and created their first chance after just three minutes; Logan Pye slipped Cole Kieran in behind, but the skipper couldn’t quite get the ball under control and the chance went begging.
But the Lads were rewarded for their bright start in the 14th minute.
Mumba picked the ball up 30-yards from goal, before dancing past two Shrewsbury defenders and unleashing a spectacular strike into the top corner from the edge of the area.
And Sunderland had a two-goal cushion just ten minutes later.
Kiernan raced in behind the defence and his initial effort was too hot to handle for Shrews ‘keeper Sam Agius, who’s parry went straight to Hugill, and he made no mistake in slamming the ball home.
The Lads heated up a cold night in Shropshire by adding a third and fourth before the interval.
First Ryan Wombwell drove down the right before pulling the ball back to Neil, who smashed home from 12-yards.
And then Hugill grabbed his second in injury time to round off a dominant first-half for the Black Cats; the striker closed down Agius in the Shrews net and the ball inadvertently deflected off him and into the net.
Shrewsbury made a change to their formation after the interval and it paid off in the 67thminute.
Towering centre back Luke Ward headed a corner across the six-yard box, and Caton was left unmarked to head home.
The Lads responded well though, and should have had a fifth when Kiernan was sent through one on one, but his effort was well blocked by the ‘keeper.
But they did have their fifth moments later, Hugill was left in space inside the box and calmly slotted home to complete his hat-trick.
Shrewsbury got another one back deep into stoppage time when Caton lashed home to grab his second, but it would prove nothing more than a consolation.
The result earns Sunderland a home tie against Birmingham City in the third round next month.
Shrewsbury: Aguias, Hartley, Walker, Redding, Davies, Ward, Turner, Rowland, Caton, Grosvenor, Elmore
Subs: Bevan, O’Toole, Sears, Thomas, Duberry
Sunderland: Newman, Smith, Neil, Krakue, Ord, Wombwell, Hugill, Kiernan, Foster, Mumba
Subs: Jones, Basey, Armstrong, Compper, Miller, Taylor, Baggs
