City U17s turned on the style to win the U17 Floodlit Cup, with Bailey Adamson scoring his second successive hat-trick on the LNER Stadium pitch.
The young Imps started brightly in the evening sunshine and were rewarded in the second minute when Adamson - whose three goals in the semi-final had sealed the 3-0 win over Bolton Wanderers - latched onto Denny Oliver’s incisive through ball to fire past Reoman Evans.
City remained in the ascendency and doubled their lead four minutes later when Adamson diverted Kye Perkins’ powerful long-range strike past the helpless Evans to make it 2-0.
Abu Kanu misseed a chance to pull one back for Swindon after 10 minutes when his attempted lob drifted wide of the target.The young Imps responded instantly, conjuring an opportunity for Russell Berko down the right, but the winger’s low drive hit the side-netting.
Captain MJ Kamara’s sensational last-ditch tackle denied McGregor after his marauding run into the City area after 23 minutes.
The young Imps began to regain control of the game and were unfortunate not to extend their lead in the 30th minute when Berko’s left-footed shot ricocheted off the post after a sublime crossfield pass from Noah Simmons.
City almost capitalised when Oliver’s inswinging delivery was met by Berko, but his glancing header drifted wide of the target.
City extended their lead to 3-0 early in the second period when Berko’s perfectly timed through ball found Adamson who made no mistake rifling his shot home to complete his second successive hat-trick in the Floodlit Cup.
Isaac Allan made an excellent diving save five minutes later to claw Kanu’s goalbound shot away from danger and preserve City’s three goal advantage.
Swindon pulled a goal back after 57 minutes when Flynn Hamilton’s clever lofted ball found Kanu who slid his shot under Allan to make it 3-1.
The young Imps responded well and reclaimed their three-goal lead in the 62nd minute when Russell Berko cut inside from the left to send a sumptuous strike past the despairing dive of Evans.
Berko continued to cause havoc down the left, supplying Zane Okoro with a chance in the 65th minute but City’s No.11 was denied by a last-ditch intervention just as he was about to shoot.
City made their first change after 77 minutes as Dakora Wifa replaced Gbolohan Okewaye.
Allen was then called into action after 79 minutes as Jaxon Brown rose highest to meet a corner, but the Imps goalkeeper parried away his header to safety.
Ash Foyle made his second change of the evening in the 83rd minute, introducing Resharne Mclean for hat-trick hero Adamson.
The young Imps defended resolutely in the final stages to close out the victory and secure the title.
