Charlton’s U18s earned their second straight victory of the new season in emphatic fashion, crushing Hull City’s youngsters at Sparrows Lane last Saturday.
The Addicks found themselves five goals to the good before half-time with Luca Albon bagging a hat-trick inside the opening 28 minutes of the game.
Some extremely sloppy play between the Tigers’ goalkeeper and his defender led to the opener on 10 minutes. Albon pounced on the hesitation between the two to strike past the stopper one-on-one. 11 minutes later, he had his brace, this time via a superb strike from just outside the box, bending a shot inside of the right upright.
And in the 28th minute, Albon bagged his hat-trick with his head, stopping at the far post to nod home his and his side’s third of the game.
It was only two minutes until Charlton had their fourth when Richard Afrane-Kesey hit a stunning half volley from a tight angle following Kasim Aidoo’s brilliant raking cross-field pass from inside his own half.
Four soon became five in the 36th minute courtesy of Tyreese Campbell, who picked the ball up in the box and slammed a powerful shot into the back of the net from 10 yards.
Hull were afforded some respite come the half-time whistle and did claim a consolation after the restart, with a close-range effort just before the hour mark, but that would be as good as it would get for the visitors, who still had to pick the ball out of the net two more times before the afternoon was out.
Mo Buhari was next on the scoresheet with nine minutes remaining, rounding off an excellent passing move from a corner routine to strike the ball into the top right-hand corner from Charlie Barker’s lay-off and there was still more to come, with Afrane-Kesey claiming his second of the day – the forward striking confidently into the bottom right-hand corner from just inside the box.
It was yet another fine performance from the young Addicks who will be looking to make it three wins from three from a trip to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday morning.
Charlton U18s: Harvey, Barton, Aidoo (Garande 70), French (Barker 60), Buhari, Henry (Appiah 60), Chin, Agyemang, Albon, Afrane-Kesey, Campbell
Subs (not used): Watkins, Thompson-Fearon.
Goals: Albon 10, 21, 28, Afrane-Kesey 30, 87, Campbell 36, Buhari 81.