Magnificent seven as Boro run riot

Hosts Thornaby were swept aside by a powerful Boro who killed the game off by half-time.

Boro made two changes from Saturday's line-up, with Josh Snowden making his debut at centre-back, while the experienced Jamie Price took his place in the midfield.

Steve Kittrick's men made a tentative start to the game, as Thornaby got at them in the first five minutes.

After this though, wave after wave of attack cut through a static Thornaby back-line, who found themselves six goals behind at the break.

Michael Coulson started the ball rolling, slipping the ball through a crowd and into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Max Wright then gave the hosts a warning sign when he bent just over from the edge of the box.

Winger Wright did get in on the act, charging onto a Jack Johnson ball, tying Jordan Wilson in knots and then finding the back of the net.

Coulson grazed the outside of the post, before Walshaw added a third. The striker nipping onto a ball ahead of keeper Oliver Simpson and lifting home.

The fourth goal arrived through more brilliance from Wright, who gave Wilson another roasting and picked out Walshaw, he made no mistake from two yards.

Midfielder Tom White made it a nap hand after receiving from Coulson. He cut back and then picked out the top corner of the net with a delightful effort.

The first-half goals were completed just a few minutes before the interval, with Nathan Valentine busting a gut to get onto Wright's cross and head home.

There was no finish to the domination when the second period got underway, though the goals dried up in the early exchanges.

Walshaw was unlucky not to complete his hat-trick when another gliding run from Wright picked him out in the six-yard box, but the ball was poked off his toe.

The Boro dangerman did bag his third of the evening with 25 minutes remaining, scampering clear of the defence, rounding the keeper and smashing home with his left foot.

The visitors could well have added to their tally as a quieter spell descended on the game, Wright finding himself clear but firing wide of the target.

The winger then struck a low shot that was held by keeper Simpson after good work from sub Nathan Curtis.

Boro had done more enough to warm their travelling fans on a chilly evening though and they can now book a coach for the big final against Middlesbrough Under-23s.