Barnet’s Under-18s thrashed FC Clacton 11-1 at The Hive this evening to reach the third qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup with ease.

Clacton’s cause was not aided by their late arrival following a crash on the A12, and when the game did finally get underway at 8.30, the visitors had spent little more than five minutes warming up in an attempt to even get the tie underway.

Prolific striker Matt Stevens took advantage of Clacton’s lack of preparation, netting a first-half hat-trick before being withdrawn at the break.

There were further first-half strikes from full-back’s George Berkes and Tamille Roache, Elliott Harris, Alfie Cain and Brian Testolin.

Substitute Fumnaya Shomotun got the ninth with little over 20 minutes remaining, before Shane Cojocarel and Harris completed the rout. Toby Harms got Clacton’s consolation following their most threatening attack late on.

Barnet were relentless and scored three quick goals to take the game away from FC Clacton early on. It was little surprise Stevens – who made his first-team debut for the Bees against Alfreton Town earlier this season – was among the early scorers.

It took just three minutes for the young Bees to pierce the Clacton backline; Stevens racing onto an inch-perfect ball over the top and lofting over the stranded Jordan Giddings to open the scoring.

Two minutes later, Stevens added his second, following up from a Giddings save to plant into the top left-hand corner.

And, four minutes after that, Cain lashed home in emphatic fashion from the edge of the 18-yard box to underline the Bees’ superiority.

After indulging in some keep ball, the Bees poured forward with menace once more and grabbed a fourth; Harris picking his spot and firing past Giddings.

The Bees ought to have bagged a fifth in the 26th minute when Giddings kicked a poor a clearance straight into the feet of Harris, who somehow contrived to plant wide of the gaping goal.

However, less than a minute later, Testolin let fly and saw his effort squirm beneath the body of the luckless Giddings to further enhance the scoreline.

A sixth arrived eight minutes before half time when Berkes made progress down the right-hand flank, before collecting a neat one-two and drilling low into the far corner of the net.

Five minutes later, fellow full-back Roache weighed in with the seventh after being set up from a free-kick routine.

Seconds before the break, Stevens completed a first-half hat-trick when he held dribbled through the heart of the Clacton side, holding off his marker before drawing Giddings off lhis line and sliding underneath him.

Doubtless to the relief of the beleaguered Clacton backline, Stevens was withdrawn at half-time, with Cojocarel introduced in his place.

The Bees did not start the second period in the same breathless manner in which they had begun the first, but substitutes Cojocarel and Ryan Gondoh both went close – the latter drawing a full-length stop from Giddings.

Barnet’s ninth – and first of the second half – finally arrived in the 69th minute when a another substitute, Shomotun, finished off a flowing team move, opening up his body and planting past Giddings from just inside the area.

Barnet hit double figures with 12 minutes remaining when Harris grabbed his second of the evening following a good run by Jack Taylor.

Defender Joe Gater was forced off with a knock after Barnet had made the last of their changes, but it did not matter as Cojocarel rammed home the 11th after reacting quickest to Giddings’ initial save.

The night did at least end on a high for Clacton, who pulled one back at the death through substitute Harms. The furious reaction of academy manager Henry Newman said all you needed to know about how seriously the Bees were taking the tie, but their passage into the next round had long since been secured.

Barnet will face a trip to Concord Rangers or Fisher Athletic in the third qualifying round, with the tie to be played on Monday, October 20.

Barnet: McKenzie-Lyle; Berkes, Gater, H.Taylor, Roache; Harris, Fonguck (Shomotun HT), J.Taylor, Cain, Testolin (Gondoh 52); Stevens (Cojocarel HT).

Subs: Kyei, Dickson.