Match Report: South Shields International Academy 5-0 Scarborough Football Scholarship U23s

South Shields International Academy extended their excellent home record in the National Football Youth League North with a crushing win over Scarborough Football Scholarship U23s on Monday.

The young Mariners capped off a superb first-half performance with Joseph Abrahart, Cai Pritchard, and Bailey Rhoades all finding the back of the net to send Adam Shaw’s side on their way to a 5-0 win.

Substitute Osman Padilla added to the scoreline early in the second half and Rhoades scored his brace later on to put the game to bed, a driven shot into the top right from outside the box.

There were four changes made to the Shields team which started in the 3-1 win at Tadcaster two weeks earlier, with Brandon Jardine, Brian Tayor, Rhoades, and Ryan Dougherty brought into the starting line-up.

The game started brightly for both teams with chances at either end, Pritchard came close as he drove his shot across the face of the goal.

The breakthrough didn’t take long, though, and arrived in the 12th minute.

It was Rhoades who spotted Abrahart’s run down the left flank, slotting a pass to the wing-back who finished past the Scarborough keeper.

Just three minutes after the first goal, top goalscorer Pritchard doubles the young Mariner's lead. Abrahart's shot deflects, rebounding to Pritchard, who swiftly creates space and fires a powerful shot into the top left of the goal.

In the 30th minute Timothy Barney came close to making it three, Abrahart floated a cross into Barney who controlled it, and then hit the bar trying to dink the keeper.

It wouldn’t take long to score the third as a minute later Rhoades drove into the box and whipped it past the keeper.

Right wing-back Jaiden Odle nearly scored a spectacular solo goal, dancing past three Scarborough defenders. However, he lost his balance before facing the keeper.

In the closing moments of the first half, Scarborough's striker had a clear chance one-on-one with goalkeeper David Mighten but blasted the ball over the bar.

In the second half, the young Mariners kept pressuring the Seadog's backline and it resulted in substitute Padilla snatching the ball off a Scarborough defender in the box and poking it past the keeper to make it 4-0.

In the 65th minute, Rhoades scored his second of the game, a sensational goal from range, the midfielder drove the ball to the edge of the box and rifled it into the top right corner to make it 5-0.

Shields were comfortable throughout the remainder of the second half as they saw out their victory with ease.

The young Mariners travel to Macclesfield FC U23 on Thursday 11th of March in the NFYL.

South Shields IA XI: Mighten, Odle (Seaman 56’), Kosegarten (Dixon 45’), Jardine, Abrahart, Taylor, Rovira, Barney, Pritchard (Padilla 45’), Rhoades, Dougherty (Baptista (56’).

Goals: Abrahart (12), Pritchard (15), Rhoades (31), Padilla (53), Rhoades (65)