Oxford United Under-18s put on a ruthless performance against Barnet this weekend, scoring nine unanswered goals in a one-sided affair.
It was goals galore on Saturday for Oxford, Kesh Purcell got his third hat-trick in five games, whilst Maeson Vaughan and Mubarak Abolade both got a brace each. Proceedings were then wrapped up with goals for both Ethan Dickinson-Annell and Kevin Appiah.
The visitors came into this one on the back of their Youth Cup heroics on Wednesday, knocking Luton out of the tournament on penalties.
This meant a heavily rotated Barnet side, which showed early on.
Purcell opened the scoring fifteen minutes in following a dominant start to the game for United.
Under-16 Vaughan then continued his recent goalscoring form, finishing into an open net to make it 2-0.
Kesh wrapped up the first half with his second and Oxford’s third. Arguably the pick of the goals, as he beat the keeper from the edge of the box with a powerful finish into the bottom corner.
Oxford went into the half three goals up, however could have easily been five or six to the good.
Purcell got his 10th goal in his last five games just three minutes into the second half to wrap up another hat-trick for the number nine.
Abolade eventually got his name onto the scoresheet in the 68th minute with a tidy finish through the keeper’s legs for Oxford’s fifth. The winger didn’t stop there and just two minutes later he lobbed the keeper for a quick-fire brace.
The goals continued to come as Appiah created a near carbon copy of Mubarak’s second, dinking the keeper to make it 7-0.
The eighth came in the 81st minute from substitute Dickinson-Annell, a first goal for the Under-18s as he finished into a gaping net to continue the onslaught.
A third goal in ten minutes and this time it was Vaughan who got his second of the afternoon. His brace made it 9-0 and wrapped up a dominant performance from the Young U’s.
The win makes it four in a row for the Under-18s, scoring sixteen across these four victories as they turn their attention to Wycombe Wanderers at home next weekend.
Oxford United: Jones, Gardner, Blackmore, Collins (Osborne 68’), Frederick, Doyle, M. Vaughan, Palmer-Flynn, Purcell (Dickinson-Annell 66’), Appiah, Abolade (H.Vaughan 71’)
Unused sub: Jackson
