By Middlesbrough FC

Boro Under-21s stormed to a 4-2 win over Aston Villa as Hazeem Bakre struck a hat-trick.

The frontman's first half double was complimented by a penalty from Ajay Matthews as Boro took a commanding 3-0 lead into the half-time break.

Bakre added another in clinical fashion on 72 minutes to claim the matchball and secure maximum points for his team, despite two late consolations from the Villans.

Dael Fry and Marcus Forss were among those with first-team experience to line up for Mark Tinkler's side, who recorded their second victory of the Premier League 2 season.

50%

Possession

50%
12

Shots

11
7

Shots On Target

3
3

Corners

10
13

Fouls

14

4

0

Cards

0

0

Bakre had an early chance to get on the scoresheet as Boro pounced on some loose play, but Villa goalkeeper Oli Zych pushed his powerful drive wide.

The away side looked dangerous from the outset and fired a number of warnings, with Shea Connor saving well from Kadan Young and Harley Hunt producing a fine block to deny Travis Patterson.

Boro progressively improved, though, and gradually took control.

Charlie Lennon crashed a free-kick against the crossbar as the tide began to turn, and the breakthrough came on 21 minutes.

Bakre pressed from the front and charged down a clearance from Zych, with the ball bouncing off the frontman's foot and into the net.

That sparked a six-minute triple salvo from the hosts, with Bakre doubling his tally when Boro won the ball in the Villa half again and he rounded the despairing Zych before finishing into an empty net.

Bakre was fouled for a penalty moments later, with Matthews slotting the spot-kick home to put us into a commanding position.

Kobei Moore could have pulled one back for Villa, but his glancing header from close range dropped wide.

The scoreline could have been more convincing before the break, with Zych saving well from George Gitau and Bakre firing wide from the edge of the box.

Middlesbrough U21: Connor, Gitau, Hunt, Fry (Simpson 45'), McCormick (Tawiah 45'), Forss (Traore 62'), McCabe, Cartwright (Nkrumah 75'), Lennon, Matthews, Bakre

Subs: Tawiah, Traore, Nkrumah, Simpson, Fisher

Aston Villa U21: Zych, Rowe, Swinkels, Alcock, Patterson, Borland (Hemmings 71'), Bogarde, Taylor (Burrowes 60'), Young, Moore, Broggio (Jimoh 45')

Subs: Amundsen-Day, Lewis, Hemmings, Jimoh, Burrowes

Villa hit the crossbar less than three minutes into the second half as they signalled their intentions to launch a fightback.

Hunt did well to head a shot from visiting captain Todd Alcock around the post to help Boro weather the early Villa pressure.

Bakre was scenting a hat-trick and had an opportunity to grab his third on 66 minutes, but his 20 yard strike cleared the bar.

He got his ultimate reward with 72 minutes on the clock, drilling a left-footed effort into the bottom corner in clinical style.

There was to be no clean sheet for Boro, with Villa substitute Jamal Jimoh-Aloba pulling two goals back in the closing stages.

But it remained a convincing victory for the U21s ahead of their opening game in the Premier League International Cup next Wednesday.