Rotherham United’s Academy recorded an emphatic 5-0 away win over Notts County in the Youth Alliance League on Saturday 28th January.
The Millers’ youngsters’ impressive triumph away from home came courtesy of an Akeel Francis hat-trick added to goals from Ben Wiles and Sam Martin.
Garreth Barker’s side set the ball rolling when the impressive Francis broke the deadlock following an excellent delivery in from Wiles on the left flank, before he applied a deft touch with his head in the box to take it beyond the goalkeeper and give the Millers the early advantage.
This time provider turned predator when Wiles was well-placed to turn home a low cross with a volley following good work on the opposite flank with a composed finish to make it 2-0 to the visitors.
Half-time: Notts County 0 v 2 Academy
The Millers continued in a similar vein following the restart and their persistence paid off with their next goal coming from the striker in red-hot form.
It came after Suleman Naeem made a nuisance of himself in the Millers’ attack which paved the way for Francis to pounce on a loose ball in the box and crash home a volley, which flew into the roof of the net to set the visitors’ advantage at three.
It was four soon after and from an unlikely source too, when another dangerous low delivery from the left was nicely tamed by Martin in the box, it allowed him time to pirouette on the ball to lash home from close range.
Francis notched his hat-trick later in the half and capped an impressive display after a good move involving a trio of Millers’ players was cut back to him with the ‘keeper stranded in the area, leaving the imposing striker with the simplest of finishes just yards from the goal.
Full-time: Notts County 0 v 5 Academy