U18 REPORT: Burnley 4 Sunderland 0

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Mellon hat-trick and Hamilton strike seals victory at Leyland

2021-02-27T15:20:34.338Z

U18 REPORT: Burnley 4 Sunderland 0

Mellon hat-trick and Hamilton strike seals victory at Leyland

2021-02-27T15:20:34.338Z

U18 FAYC PREVIEW: AFC Wimbledon v Burnley - Image 2

Tony Philliskirk's bounced back from last week's defeat, with an impressive 4-0 win over Sunderland at the County Ground.

A hat-trick from Michael Mellon, on just his second game back after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and a strike from Jacob Hamilton sealed all three points on a sunn afternoon in Lancashire.

It was a young Burnley side, as eight first-year scholars started for the hosts, with Finlay Armstrong, Dylan Moonan and Tremaine Eastmond amongst the three second-years.

But it was the Clarets that started bright and their first real chance, after a corner fell to centre-back Dan Sassi at the back-post, but his effort was blocked on the line.

U18 FAYC PREVIEW: AFC Wimbledon v Burnley - Image 1

Armstrong then came close to an opener, after his curling effort sailed just wide of Oliver Basey's goal.

But just four minutes later the Clarets did have their opener, as Mellon broke through on goal and into the area, before coolly slotting the ball through the legs of Basey, to give the home side the lead.

Mellon began to cause the Blackcats' defence plenty of problems as the sides approached the break and soon got his second, to double the hosts' lead.

This time the forward timed his run to perfection to slide the ball in from close range, following great work from Eatsmond, who picked out the striker.

U18 REPORT: Burnley 4 Sunderland 0 - Image 2

The Clarets headed into the break with a deserved two-goal cushion at the County Ground.

But Philliskirk's side were not stopping there, as his youngsters were quick to add a third of the afternoon, just before the hour mark.

As Mellon turned provider to tee up Hamilton, who fired home from inside the area, to put the game out of reach.

U18 REPORT: Burnley 4 Sunderland 0 - Image 3

Sunderland looked to try claw themselves back into the game, with a flurry of attacks, but nothing too dangerous as the Burnley defence stood strong.

But it was the Clarets who struck again, as Mellon secured his hat-trick in the 83rd minute and put the game out of reach, after the striker found the bottom corner from close range, after latching onto a dinked pass.

BURNLEY: Waller, Williams, Sassi, Ward, Armstrong, Ratchford, Moonan, Couch, Hamilton, Mellon, Eastmond.

Subs: Behan, McCullough, Walters, Smyth-Ferguson, Hugill.