Jamie Crowther’s academy side continued their good recent form on Saturday with a resounding 5-1 win against winless Walsall at Carrington, with five different players getting on the scoresheet for County
County were home and dry by the break in this one as goals from Keane Barugh, Fabio Kibonda, Jack Atkinson and Harry Rogers gave the dominant Hatters a 4-0 half-time lead. Although the visitors did grab one back in the second-half, a delightful chip from Cody Johnson late on completed the scoring and rounded off a five-star display from County.
Coming up against a Walsall side still looking for their first win of the season, it was County making all the early running and we soon took a deserved lead, Barugh bending home beautifully from the edge of the box after good work down the right by Johnson and Ashton Mee.
It was almost two just moments later, the ball breaking kindly for striker Kibonda, who let it run across his body but fired just wide of the upright.
It wasn’t long before Kibonda was celebrating though, as he raced on to a through-ball by Mee to finish confidently past the goalkeeper, doubling County’s lead. He then turned provider for County’s third, crossing from the right for Atkinson, who expertly guided his header into the far corner.
Rogers then had a glorious chance to add to County’s tally, firing just over the bar at the back post as the ball deflected into his path, but he soon made amends when brought down inside the area – the referee immediately pointing to the spot. Rogers it was who took it, and he confidently found the bottom corner, sending the ‘keeper the wrong way. Walsall finished the half having failed to muster a single shot on goal.
Half-time: County 4-0 Walsall
Into the second-half and a wonderfully worked move, starting with goalkeeper Billy Blake, so nearly led to County’s fifth, Barugh playing it through to Kibonda, whose shot was parried away at the near post by the goalkeeper.
The visitors did manage to pull one back after the break, a corner from the left finding the unmarked #2, who planted his header into the bottom corner.
It was County who were to have the final say however, Johnson latching on to a loose back header before delicately lifting the ball over the head of the ‘keeper to cap an impressive afternoon for the young Hatters.
Full-time: County 5-1 Walsall
Starting XI: Billy Blake; Jack Kenny; Ben Darby; Ellis Farrar; Luke Partington; Harry Rogers; Cody Johnson; Keane Barugh; Jack Atkinson; Fabio Kibonda; Ashton Mee.
Bench: Jack Jones; Dallas Omoruyi; Nathan McFarlane; Kingston Fligg; Dan Harrison.
