JAKE Young secured a first career four-goal haul as Swindon Town hammered Crawley Town 6-0 in League Two on Saturday.
The Bradford City loanee had never even claimed a hat-trick before in his young career, but on an afternoon at the County Ground where he could do no wrong, the 22-year-old was immaculate in front of goal.
Young was ably – and quite literally on a couple of occasions – assisted by Dan Kemp, with the attacking midfielder opening the scoring before half-time.
Substitute Tyrese Shade wrapped up a sublime afternoon from Swindon’s point of view by making it half a dozen with the final kick of the game.
Michael Flynn made one change from last Saturday's 5-5 thriller against Wrexham, and it came at left wing-back as Tariq Uwakwe replaced Brooklyn Genesini - who was not in the squad.
Of the ex-Swindon faces in Scott Lindsey's squad, only Ronan Darcy started. Anthony Grant was on the bench, while Dion Conroy and Ben Gladwin missed out through injury.
Neither side managed to truly control the opening exchanges, but Crawley almost netted the first goal 10 minutes in. Klaidi Lolos departed on a Lionel Messi-like run through the hosts before laying off to Danilo Orsi in the centre of the box. But although it seemed easier to score, the Crawley striker leaned back and sent his first-time effort off the top of the bar.
The Robins responded well enough, though, and enjoyed a brief period of pressure midway through the first half. Kemp and Young went close to scoring, but neither managed to find a way past Corey Addai.
Murphy Mahoney was almost caught out by a powerful cross-shot from former Robin, Darcy in the 26th minute, but eight minutes later at the end after a scrappy opening half an hour, there was, mercifully, a moment of genuine quality.
Kemp sprinted down the right touchline before finding Young inside. Swindon's four-goal hero returned the ball down the channel to his in-form partner, and Kemp maintained his composure to slip the shot inside the near post with his left once he reached the box.
The last notable event before half-time almost generated a Crawley leveller which would have left Mahoney red-faced.
Lindsey's side cleared a Swindon corner and broke two-on-one down the left, leaving Adam Campbell with a clear route to goal from around the half-way line.
As Mahoney tried to join a race for the ball he had no chance of winning, Campbell steadied himself and tried to lob the goalkeeper from distance, but Mahoney – who had slammed the breaks on and begun to retreat – tipped it wide with his fingernails after just about reaching his own penalty area.
Just as they had done in the previous home game, Swindon scored through Young within minutes of the restart. Only this time, the hosts scored a further four goals in a brutal passage which took the contest out of Crawley’s reach.
In the 47th minute, Saidou Khan slipped a ball down the left, and Young left Will Wright in the dust before breaking into the box and poking home at the near post from an acute angle.
Four minutes later, it was three. The Robins turned it over in midfield before Kemp ran at the Crawley defence and played a through ball to Young. He steadied himself with the first touch and jabbed into the net with outside of his right from 12 yards out.
Goal number four arrived on the hour – once again, in painfully simple style from Crawley’s point of view. Kemp picked up possession down the right side of the box, danced past one half-hearted tackle, and calmly passed across goal for Young to tap home from six yards out and claim a first career hat-trick.
A debut match ball turned into a first four-goal haul 11 minutes later. Uwakwe crossed from the left and Young rose highest among a cluster of Crawley bodies to divert home from close range.
With the game over as a contest, both sides took the opportunity to swap a number of players. Crawley sent on Grant – who received a welcome reception from the home fans – while the Robins’ boss gave Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Tyrese Shade their comeback appearances after injury.
After Shade passed up two excellent chances to make it six late on, he was finally successful inside eight minutes of stoppage time. A long ball forward was plucked out of the air before Shade rounded to his left, cut back onto his right, and then slammed a low shot into the bottom-left corner.
STFC starting XI: Mahoney, Hutton, Blake-Tracy, Uwakwe, McEachran, Young, Khan, Kemp, Brewitt, Godwin-Malife, Austin (c).
STFC substitutes: L Ward, B Ward, Hepburn-Murphy, Kinsella, Wakeling, Shade, Minturn.
CTFC starting XI: Addai, Tsaroulla, Williams, Ransom, Wright, Lolos, Kelly, Henry, Darcy, Campbell, Orsi.
CTFC substitutes: Ashby-Hammond, Mukena, Khaleel, Swyer, Forster, Grant, Roles.
Referee: Jacob Miles
Attendance: 8,658 (229)
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