Tottenham Hotspur signalled their intent in this season’s FA Youth Cup as they thumped Stevenage 10-1 in their third-round tie at the Lamex Stadium, with Kazaiah Sterling hitting a hat-trick.
Striker Sterling, who turned 18 in November, took just 100 seconds to get off the mark when Dylan Duncan, who trained with the England first team at Hotspur Way ahead of their friendly with Spain, played him in to finish coolly.
Sterling struck again on 11 minutes and after Duncan saw an effort cleared off the line the former was celebrating a first-half hat-trick when he smashed home a Spurs third.
Japhet Tanganga powerfully headed home a Samuel Shashoua cross just before the hour mark and the two linked up again – this time the former floating in a free-kick to the back post to make it 5-0.
On 65 minutes it was 6-0 as Timothy Eyoma slotted home, with Jaden Brown running onto a through ball and smashing home a seventh with quarter of an hour to play.
Ben Wilmot scored a fantastic overhead kick to reduce the deficit, but Shashoua – twice – and Keanan Bennetts ensured it was nothing more than a consolation as Spurs went into double figures late on.
It was a much closer affair at Deepdale as a Melle Meulensteen penalty was enough for Preston North End to beat Sheffield United 1-0.
Meulensteen, the son of former Fulham manager Rene, struck from the spot following Tom Charlesworth’s fourth-minute foul on Oscar O’Neil and it proved enough to see Preston advance into the fourth round.
Also in the fourth round are Gillingham after they downed Oxford City 2-0 a t the MEMS Priestfield Stadium thanks to goals from Jack Conway and Bradley Stevenson.
Conway finished from close range shortly before the break before midfielder Stevenson fired home from 20 yards to seal the win on 89 minutes, meaning Gillingham are in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 13 years.
