Everton Under-21s booked their place in the knockout stages of the Papa John’s Trophy after an emphatic 6-0 victory at Hartlepool United on Tuesday evening.
A first-half double from Tom Cannon as well as goals from Mackenzie Hunt and Stanley Mills put Paul Tait’s side in full control inside the opening 45 minutes.
Mills and Charlie Whitaker then added some gloss to the dominant display in the second period, with another couple of smart finishes to ensure Everton progressed to the last 32 as group A winners.
The Blues went into the game knowing only a victory would be enough to secure their place in the next stage of this season’s Papa John’s Trophy - and it didn’t take long for the lads to assert their authority on the tie.
Nine minutes in, Cannon broke the deadlock when he clinically fired home from 10 yards after Sean McAllister’s low cross wasn’t dealt with by Pools. Mills was first to take aim but his shot spun off a Hartlepool defender and Cannon reacted quickest to bag his seventh goal of the season.
Hunt then deservedly doubled Everton’s advantage on 20 minutes, tapping home from close range after a superb surging run from Mills down the right flank. Mills seized possession midway inside his own half before driving into Pools’ box. His low ball across goal evaded the home defence and Hunt was well placed at the back post to calmly slot home.
The Toffees were oozing confidence and it wasn’t long before they grabbed their third of the evening eight minutes later. This time there was an element of fortune as Mills’ low strike somehow trickled through goalkeeper Kyle Letheren’s grasp.
After a brief stoppage in play due to a drone flying above the stadium, Tait’s men returned to the pitch and picked up where they left off, with Cannon superbly sweeping home a fourth and his second of the evening from long distance in stoppage-time at the end of the first 45.
Mills then joined his teammate Cannon in the hunt for a hat-trick on 53 minutes when he bagged his second after finishing off a free-flowing counter-attack.
Tait made four changes on the hour mark but even that didn’t disrupt Everton’s groove as Whitaker turned home his third goal of the season on 71 minutes after latching onto Kyle John’s threaded pass.
From there the Toffees saw the game out to record a memorable victory against Football League opposition while booking their place in the last 32 of this season’s EFL Trophy.
