Endacott’s hat-trick inspires Women’s Under-21s to emphatic victory over the Blues | OneFootball

Mia Endacott netted a second half hat-trick as our Women’s Under-21s ran out 8-4 winners over Birmingham City in their final Professional Game Academy (PGA) League fixture of the year on Wednesday afternoon.

Not only did the young forward find the back of the net on three occasions, she also registered three assists for four of our first half goals, setting up Beatrice Cunnison twice, routine headers from close range, before her lofted cross was turned home by Cairo Antone-Eva for her first goal at Under-21s level, with those building on a fast start from Persis Oteng after she opened the scoring after just 90 seconds.

The visitors kept themselves in the game with three goals in the first 45 minutes at Hotspur Way but Endacott was just an inspiration after the break, netting her first goal of the afternoon before, once again, turning provider for Kendra Brown to slot home from close-range. The 17-year-old, who joined us from Plymouth Argyle in the summer, completed her hat-trick with two goals in the final 20 minutes of the game to secure an emphatic victory in Division Two of the PGA League, despite the Blues pulling a goal back in the closing stages.

Reflecting on the game, Nick Hardy said: “It was entertaining and, obviously, it’s great for us to be so effective in front of goal, it could have been a lot greater as well. We had a lot of success in the final third, with a lot of entries and opportunities to score, but it’s a reflection of where we are and the progression in that part of the game.

“We had a variety of goalscorers and it was brilliant for Mia to get a hat-trick, I’m really pleased for her as we have seen some steady improvements from her week on week in training and games. However, the most pleasing for me was the variety of goals, a couple from set-pieces, some were difficult finishes, some from wide areas and a few from good build-up, so it was just as pleasing in the manner we scored the goals.

“We can’t shy away from the fact we conceded four goals, but I don’t think that’s overly reflective on how well we did, they were from moments when we were trying to do the right thing.”

Hardy named a young matchday squad for the penultimate game of the calendar year, with five Under-16s involved as goalkeeper Sophie Jackson and Antone-Eva started, while Poppy Neil, Eloise Summers-Mee, Holly Mae-Elmes where all second half substitutes, with the former registering an assist.

Asked about their involvement in the matchday squad, he added: “It’s another example on the fantastic work that’s being done across our PGA, from the Under-14s to the Under-21s, to the individual development of the players but what the squads are achieving.

“The most pleasing part of the afternoon was starting with two Under-16s but ending the game where all five played a part, finishing with four of them on the pitch at the end of 90 minutes, so fantastic for the girls and thoroughly deserved.”