Brislington Under-15s 0 Imperial Saints Under-15s 5

Star Match: Avon Youth League

Imperial Saints hit top form to sweep to a convincing five-goal victory against a Brislington team that struggled to get going.

Strikes from James Burton, Jordan Pugsley, Hussain Mohammed and Dom Gage, plus a fortuitous own goal, sealed the outcome.

Imperial immediately went on the offensive and Ryan Hoskin swung in a first-time cross from the left and Dom Gage hit a volley which was saved by Brislington keeper Conor Hadson.

Burton headed a Gage cross just too high and Gage threatened again with a jinking run past four Brislington players followed by a left-footed shot which flew over the crossbar.

Brislington's first chance came when Mohamed Jama's free-kick from the halfway line was flicked on by Tiren Manning to Ross Smitheram, who shot straight at the keeper.

Brislington were made to pay for the miss a minute later when a cross from Saints' Connor McCormack flicked off the head of home defender Sam Loft and over his own keeper to give Imperial a deserved 1-0 lead.

Saints kept up the pressure and Hoskin stepped inside his man and neatly slid the ball across to Gage, who hit a good shot which Hadson collected well.

On 15 minutes, Imperial made it 2-0 when Burton latched on to a Jordan Pugsley free-kick and expertly lobbed the keeper.

Brislington tried to respond and Manning nodded on another Jama free-kick to Smitheram, who this time sliced his shot just wide of goal, before Manning's long throw was half cleared into the path of Luis Hadergjonaj, who hit a fierce attempt inches wide.

Hoskin clipped the bar with a curling 25-yard drive before Imperial went 3-0 up when an unmarked Pugsley popped up to head home McCormack's corner from a yard out.

Brislington looked the better team at the start of the second half and Manning almost snatched a goal back as he calmly controlled a long kick from keeper Hadson before stepping inside his marker and hitting a 30-yard shot narrowly over.

At the other end, Gage picked up a long ball down the line before cutting it inside to Burton, who shot just wide.

Brislington went close once again, Jama cutting inside his man before lofting a ball to the back post where it was nodded over by Smitheram.

An excellent sliding tackle from Kane Lee denied Gage another goal before McCormack almost increased Imperial's advantage. His 30-yard free-kick looked destined for the bottom corner of the net until Hadson scrambled across his line to make a fine diving save low to his right.

Next it was the turn of Harry Matthews, who was set up by Gage, but once more Hadson sprung to his team's aid as he came rushing out to block with his legs.

The fourth goal finally arrived 15 minutes from time when Burton out-muscled his marker inside the box before cutting the ball back for Hussain Mohammed, who cleverly ran around a defender before sliding it past Hadson from a narrow angle.

Mohammed almost scored again following a McCormack corner, but Hadson expertly tipped his shot on to the bar.

Gage put the game beyond all doubt when he fired home from 20 yards after an attempted clearance had hit the referee and bounced into his path.

Rhys Fowler almost grabbed a late consolation for Brislington after Smitheram had weaved his way between three defenders.

Brislington: Ben Winter-Alsop, Adam Veale, Sam Loft, Ben Foster, Josh Jones, Ross Smitheram, Tiren Manning, Cameron Adams, Luis Hadergjonaj, Kane Lee, Conor Hadson, Mohamed Jama, Rhys Fowler, Anton Williams.

Imperial Saints: Jake Holcombe, Ben Hawkins, Joe Meredith, Josh Phillips, Mason Sollars, Shaq Walker, Liam Butt, Connor McCormack, Harry Matthews, Wade Gwyther, Mason Daggar, Ryan Hoskin, James Burton, Dom Gage, Jordan Pugsley, Hussain Mohammed.

Star Man: Dom Gage (Imperial Saints): Showed great speed, strength and skill going forward and fully deserved his goal.