The Youth Team continued its impressive start to the season with victory over Accrington Stanley making it a hat-trick of wins to launch their Youth Alliance League campaign, writes Ben Livingstone.
Injuries in the Whites’ goalkeeping ranks saw Jack Dallimore start in place of Luke Lomax, who was rested with a shoulder injury, while George Barlow will sit on the sidelines until the Christmas period with a wrist injury.
An even first 30 minutes saw a tough battle between two sides who scored a combined 13 goals across last season’s meetings.
But Wanderers started to take control, with their front two causing serious problems for the Stanley backline and combining to put their side ahead when David Abimbola picked out Daeshon Lawrence in space inside the penalty area for Lawrence to take a touch before finding the bottom corner of the net.
Lawrence’s goal was the difference between the two sides at the interval and Wanderers then continued how they left off as Harry Leigh made it 2-0 minutes into the second half.
This time, Lawrence held the ball up well before laying it off to Harry Leigh to take it past two defenders and roll a shot into the bottom corner.
Harley Irwin then got in on the act as Wanderers quickly added another as Conor Lewis’ inch-perfect cross from the left was met by the knee of Irwin to poke home the third goal.
Lawrence was denied a fourth by an off-side flag before Anjola Popoola pulled one back for Stanley with 35 minutes to go, giving the visitors a lifeline in pursuit of their first point of the season.
And with 20 minutes to go Popoola added his and Stanley’s second to make it a potentially nervy ending for Julian Darby’s young whites.
Wanderers stood firm, though, and eased any anxiety five minutes from the end when Oliver Smith won a penalty for the hosts when He was fouled following a mazy run into the box.
Abimbola stepped up to add his fourth goal of the season from the penalty spot as Darby’s side extended their 100 per cent league start before hosting Morecambe at
Lostock next Saturday in their second group game in the Youth Alliance Cup following a 1-1 draw with holders Preston in their opener.
“After a tough week with illness and injuries running through the camp, I'm delighted to get another three points on the board and keep the winning habit amongst the squad,” said Darby.
“I thought the lads dug in deep towards the end to ensure we got the three points. It was a great win for the lads and we will now look forward to Morecambe next week.”
Wanderers: Dallimore, Oliver, Rice, Grayson (Taylor 56), O’Neill, Smith, Irwin. Leigh, Abimbola, C Lewis (Ritchie 67), Lawrence.
Pictures: Ben Livingstone