Our under-23s recorded an emphatic 5-1 win over Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road on Tuesday night.
Krystian Bielik opened the scoring after just three minutes with an impressive volley, before Chuba Akpom added a second with a low drive across goal.
Stephy Mavididi then fired into the top corner to extend our lead moments before half-time.
Carl Jenkinson added a fourth when he turned the ball home from close range, before the hosts scored a consolation when Macauley Bonne found the net.
Eddie Nketiah then chalked up our fifth goal, slotting past Sam Sargeant after he had saved the forward’s initial back heel.
SETTING THE SCENE
Steve Gatting named an unchanged side, fielding the same starting XI who ran out 4-0 winners over Boreham Wood at Meadow Park last week.
Matt Macey started in goal, behind a back-three of captain Julio Pleguzuelo, Bielik and Mathieu Debuchy.
The four-man midfield comprised of Cohen Bramall, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Jon Toral and Jenkinson.
And up front, Akpom led the line ahead of Nketiah and Mavididi.
FIRST-HALF
It did not take long for us to threaten going forward, when within the first 60 seconds we carved open a brilliant chance, which saw Akpom denied at close-range by Orient’s goalkeeper Charlie Grainger.
Just a few moments later we promptly took the lead, when Bielik volleyed the ball home at the near post, after Orient failed to deal with a corner.
Akpom then added a second by beating Grainger with a smart finish inside the far post, after Reine-Adelaide set him up with a delightful scoop over the defence.
As the first-half came to a close, Mavididi continued his fine pre-season form, firing an effort from outside the box into the top corner, to stretch our lead to three.
SECOND-HALF
Following the interval, the O’s had the next good opportunity, when Bonne sent a shot whizzing wide of the far post.
With the game well in our control, the play slowed down, but we were still able to create chances. On the hour mark Jenkinson managed to get his name on the scoresheet, poking the ball in after he met a squared ball from Donyell Malen.
Despite the game being out of reach, the O’s did find a consolation goal through Macauley Bonne in the 70th minute.
As the full-time whistle neared, Nketiah managed to score our fifth and final goal, following a goalmouth scramble. The forward prodded past Sargeant to claim his first goal of pre-season.
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