The Iron’s academy side kicked off their league campaign in style with a thumping 5-2 win over Hartlepool United at the Northolme.
After a first 45 minutes yielded just one goal, scored by the visitors to give them a slender half-time lead, the game exploded into life in a second period which saw no fewer than five different players on the score sheet for the Iron.Despite seeing more than their share of the first half, the Iron youngsters found themselves a goal down after 32 minutes when Connor Halpin saw United’s 16-year-old goalkeeper Patrick Weaver off his line and chipped him to give the visitors the lead.
However, after losing just once in pre-season, Tony Daws’ young side weren’t going to lie down that easily and hit back within seconds of the restart with Levi Sutton rounding off a fine move instigated by Noel Burdett to sweep the ball home.
With the visitors now on the back foot the Iron showed their ruthless side with goals from Billy Beresford, Taron Hare and Hakeeb Adelakun putting the home side 4-1 up.
Despite a mistake from Weaver gifting the visitors a second, a Kyle Wootton header just minutes from time meant that the result was never in any doubt for the Iron.
After losing George Grayson, the prolific Jamie Wooton and Luke Hornsey, all of whom have now graduated to the senior side, opportunity now knocks for the class of 2013 and given their first outing the future certainly looks very bright.
It was Weaver who lined up between the sticks for the home side.
In front of him were a back four of Zac Cowling, skipper Connor Smythe, Jacob Hood and Hare.
In the centre, Billy Beresford returned from injury to partner Levi Sutton, with Burdett on the right and Adelakun on the left.
Up top the lively Curtis Bateson partnered Wootton.
After going until the last weekend of pre-season unbeaten, when they suffered a 3-0 reverse to Oldham Athletic, Daws’ men started the game like a team with a point to prove and within two minutes thought they had won a spot kick.
Good work saw Bateson power down the right flank and into the area where he saw his effort blocked by stopper Mark Foden.
Following up well Adelakun looked to pounce but just as he was about to pull the trigger his legs were taken from under him by Josh Nearney, leaving the referee to point to the spot.
However, just seconds later, and after consultation with his assistant the official changed his mind having realised that Adelakun was in an offside position.
What followed was a period where the Iron’s front four attacked at will, restricting the visitors to sporadic counters, the only problems to the home side caused by their tendency to over-commit bodies going forward.
That proved to be their undoing on the half hour, when a swift counter and a helping hand from Weaver saw the visitors take the lead.
From attacking down the left the Iron found themselves a goal down within seconds as a quick move saw skipper Ben Wignall play the ball to Halpin just on the edge of the D.
Taking a touch the Hartlepool number 9 saw Weaver a couple of yards off his line and with a piece of deft skill, lifted the ball over the stopper and despite getting a finger-tip to it the Iron number 1 was powerless to stop it from nestling in the corner of his goal.
However, within seconds, Weaver had redeemed himself as he raced from his line to save at the feet of Halpin, the striker again bearing down on goal after losing his marker.
What had been a reasonably entertaining first half, gave no signal of what was to come in the second 45, as United re-discovered their ruthless streak and brutally put the visitors to the sword.
That intent was signalled straight from the restart with the home side drawing level almost as soon as the referee had taken his whistle from his lips.
A clever piece of thinking from Noel Burdett saw a quick free-kick played down the right to Curtis Bateson.
So often a thorn in the opponents side in the first half, the Iron number 10 delivered a peach of a cross which Sutton simply had to finish and the 16 year old didn’t disappoint cooly slotting home from eight yards.
From a goal behind the Iron had their noses in front before the hour mark, and again it was Bateson who was the provider.
Picking the ball up just inside his opponents half the striker slid a ball through to Adelakun who simply skipped away from Hartlepool right back Rhys Harbottle and beat Foden at his near post followed by what is rapidly becoming a trademark celebration for the 17 year old.
Two became three soon afterwards with Connor Smythe cutting back for Beresford to cap a fine display dad, and former Newcastle legend John would have been proud of, as he deftly swept the ball home on an afternoon he controlled the midfield with consummate ease.
Alongside him in the centre Levi Sutton again did his burgeoning reputation no harm with another box to box display reminiscent of Iron favourite Matty Sparrow, and it was h who won the corner which led to the Iron’s fourth goal.
After seeing a long range Sutton shot deflected, Adelakun delivered a pinpoint cross from the right straight onto the head of Taron Hare who simply nodded home with consummate ease.
Although the visitors pulled a goal back when Weaver could only palm a shot to Halpin, Wootton put the result beyond any doubt with a bullet header right at the death.