Carlisle United under-18s produced a five-star display in Staffordshire as they deservedly beat Port Vale 5-3 away from home.
A hat-trick from Will Rafferty, coupled with strikes from Finley Boertien and Reuben Towers proved to be decisive for the Young Blues.
Mark Birch made three changes from United’s defeat against Crewe Alexandra last time out, with Dan Miller, Jack Hodgson and Oscar Murphy being replaced by Tai Bell, Will Rafferty and Olly Penney, with the latter making his first start for 10 months since returning from injury.
United’s ‘keeper Brad Robinson would be called upon within five minutes of kick-off as he made a top save to keep out Ash Sangarwe.
Robinson’s save would prove decisive as the Blues would take the lead less than three minutes later through Rafferty, whose effort from distance flew past Theo Morgan, via a deflection.
The lead would be doubled soon after when Finley Boertien finished off a quick counter attacking move after being teed up by Nathan Wheatley.
United would get a third goal in quick succession, again through Rafferty, who smashed the ball into the net after Boertien chipped a brilliant ball to the back post.
The hosts would pull on goal back just before the 20-minute mark after managing to break the Blues’ offside trap before Ollie Cook showed composure to finish from close range.
It looked as if Vale had further reduced the deficit just minutes later through Tom Scragg, but it was ruled out for an offside in the build-up.
Reuben Towers would get his sides’ fourth of the afternoon after unleashing an unstoppable effort into the top right corner of Morgan’s goal.
HALF-TIME: Port Vale 1-4 Carlisle United
Less than two minutes into the second-half, Rafferty came agonisingly close to completing his hat-trick with a curling effort from outside the box, but his shot clipped the outside of the post.
He would only have to wait 10 minutes more before he would get his third and Carlisle’s fifth of the match after reacting quickly to stab home when Towers’ effort re-bounded into his path.
Vale would pull two quick-fire goals back in the final quarter of the match through Sangarwe and Theo Wilshaw after some quick counter attacks from the Valiants.
United would see the game out comfortably to record an impressive, high scoring victory on the road.
FULL-TIME: Port Vale 3-5 Carlisle United
Teams:
Port Vale: Morgan, Fraser, Yalala, Matthews (C), Davies, Hodgkiss, Sangarwe, Jono (Agnero 46’), Scragg (Wilshaw 46’), Owen, Cook
Carlisle United: Robinson, Hatton, Bell, Penney (C) (Murphy 46’), McDonough, Aaron, Towers (Knowles 85’), Boertien, Wheatley (Harabasz 70’), Rafferty, Smith
Not used: Moynan, Stuart
Goals:
Port Vale: (Cook 17’), (Sangarwe 70’), (Wilshaw 72’)
Carlisle United: (Rafferty 7’, 16’, 57’), (Boertien 10’), (Towers 31’)
Yellow Cards:
Carlisle United: (Aaron 3’)
Red Cards:
Carlisle United: N/A
