United’s Under-21s booked a place in the main draw of the Premier League Cup after an impressive 6-0 qualifying win over Doncaster Rovers at Elland Road.

Both sides exchanged possession frequently in the early stages but United opened the scoring after just nine minutes as Brian Montenegro met Chris Dawson’s pin-point cross from the right to power a header beyond Jonathan Iveson.

Adryan was seeing plenty of the ball and was inches away from doubling the advantage as he clipped the near post with a curling free-kick following some good link up play with Dawson.

Thompson then doubled the advantage on the half-hour mark with a ferocious strike from just outside the area as Neil Redfearn’s men started to dominate proceedings.

Summer loan signing Dario Del Fabro then hit the post with an outstretched leg after a corner had fallen into his path, before Adryan netted his first goal in a United shirt, racing through on goal to beat Iveson with a composed finish on the stroke of half-time.

Noel Hunt added an excellent fourth shortly after the restart after Adryan had found him inside the area to rifle an unstoppable first-time strike past the helpless Iveson and into the top corner.

Dawson, who was captaining the side, then grabbed a deserved fifth after 60 minutes, placing his effort into the bottom corner after being found by Thompson, before Montenegro added his second and United’s sixth from close-range after Hunt’s low cross.

United did have chances to increase their convincing lead as substitute Tyla Bell, Luke Parkin and Dawson all threatened to make it seven as Redfearn’s side enjoyed their progression to the main draw.

United: Cairns, Booker, Killock, Del Fabro, Denton, Thompson (Bell), Phillips (Purver), Dawson, Adryan, Montenegro, Hunt (Parkin). Subs. Grimes, Skelton.