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Sheffield’s Development squad had a tough night on Thursday, as a threadbare side came up against table topping Penistone Church, coming home on the wrong end of a sore 7-1 defeat.

It was always going to be a difficult evening for the young Clubbies, as seasonal availability left them with a bare 11 and a mountain to climb, and the hosts showed why they are top of the pile by opening the scoring on 7 minutes as Harry Hoyland was allowed too much space to curl the first goal home.

The second came on 14 minutes, a Ben Keogh cross picked up Jack Lenthall, his shot deflecting past a stranded Jake Townsend. Five minutes later it was three, Keogh against the provider with a corner, Morgan Wray chesting the ball in from close range.

Club started to make a fight of it and were rewarded with a goal of their own on 32 minutes, Otis Pyke on a solo break from his own half, holding off his defender to tuck the ball in at the near post.

Three minutes before the interval it was 4-1, Lenthall crossing from the right with Townsend failing to reach the ball, giving Alex Kent a tap into the empty net.

Penistone wrapped things up in the second half, on 58 minutes a cleared corner was hoofed hopefully into the box, Will Marshall reacting quickest for the hosts and calmly lobbed the ball over the keeper. It was 6-1 on 75 minutes as substitute Max Jenkins nodded in a rebound, and the scoring was complete just a minute later, Charlie Rogerson curling a shot in from 20 yards out.

Penistone Church: 1 Alex Townend, 2 Jack Lenthall, 3 Ben Keogh, 4 Elliot Briscoe, 5 Morgan Wray, 6 Theo Devenport, 7 Ashley Fisher ©, 8 Charlie Rogerson, 9 Harry Hoyland, 10 Will Marshall, 11 Alex Kent.

Subs: 12 Sam Sepehri, 14 Ryan Manswell, 15 Max Jenkins, 16 Max Jordan, 17 Jed Machen.

Sheffield FC: 1 Jake Townsend, 2 Harrison Barker, 3 Sonny Bennett, 4 Luke McKernan ©, 5 Jake Carr, 6 Freddie Jones, 7 Brad Platts, 8 Aaron Docherty, 9 Kai Thomas-Prescott, 10 OJ Pyke, 11 Blake Freeman.

Attendance: 35

Referee: Jim McGuinness