FA Youth Cup Report: Watford 2-1 Saints
Southampton’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup run came to an end in the quarter-finals as they were narrowly beaten by Watford at Vicarage Road.
In a tense encounter at Vicarage Road, with a place in the final four at stake, it was the hosts who took an early lead through Nickson Okosun.
Saints responded and found an equaliser through in-form Nick Oyekunle as the scores were level at the break, but it was Watford who regained their lead in the second half through Zavier Massiah-Edwards.
Calum McFarlane fielded an unchanged side from the impressive fifth round victory over Derby County at St Mary’s Stadium.
Saints' youngsters step out at Vicarage Road. (Harry Murphy/Getty Images)
The quarter-final clash got off to a fairly measured start in the opening exchanges; Baylee Dipepa attempted to run through the Watford defence whilst Kash Odiase looked to dart down the right for the hosts but to no avail.
It was the young Hornets who opened the scoring in front of their home crowd though, after just 12 minutes, leaving Saints momentarily stunned by an early goal for the second consecutive round.
A ball was slipped through the defence into the path of Okosun, who showed great composure to cut inside from near the byline and hammer his shot low into the bottom corner past Dylan Moody.
Watford were in the ascendancy from then and, buoyed by the Vicarage Road support, came close again as Odiase delivered a dangerous cross towards Zavier Massiah-Edwards, whose downward header was saved.
Saints gradually worked their way back into the contest as Sufianu Sillah Dibaga hit a snapshot volley over the crossbar on 22 minutes.
Dipepa then tried his luck with a low drive as Saints grew in confidence with a flowing counter-attacking move; Jay Robinson’s driving run created space for Oyekunle, who in turn found Dipepa for his shot that was impressively tipped past the post by Sam Morris.
The changing momentum was evident and it soon paid off in the 37th minute, when Dipepa hit another powerful, low strike from range that was spilled by Morris and into the path of Oyekunle for the equaliser.
In-form Oyekunle (L) celebrates with Baylee Dipepa.
With the scores level the game as the first half drew to a close, Watford entered the break rueing two a treble of missed chances to regain the lead.
A smart set piece routine was headed down by Leo Ramirez-Espain in the area but the shot was blazed over the crossbar by home goalscorer Okosun.
Amin Nabizada was next to go close after a mazy run into the penalty area, but he dragged his shot wide before Odiase had a shot pushed away by Moody as the final action of the half.
Both sides felt there were chances to be taken as they entered the second half, but few opportunities of note actually materialised as the game wore on.
Just after the hour mark, Moody was called back into action as he saved and eventually held a spinning shot from Amar Sanghrajka at the second attempt.
Saints went close in the 71st minute but were denied by two smart saves from Morris in the Watford goal, who first parried Broghan Sewell’s effort - after a driving run and cut back from Sillah Diabaga - before Oyekunle’s volley across goal was also pushed away.
Watford’s resilience was rewarded soon after when Saints were punished after a momentary lapse in concentration; a throw-in into the area wasn’t fully cleared and Massiah-Edwards pounced and drilled home from 12 yards out.
The hosts had their tails up and their eyes on another cup upset to follow their fifth round win over Tottenham Hotspur, as Saints’ attempted late attacks were nullified by a stubborn defence.
Tensions boiled over briefly in stoppage time as the atmosphere grew heated on the pitch and in the stands before Saints forged one final chance for an equaliser.
Deep into the eight minutes added on, substitute Harry Gathercole drove towards goal but his angled effort was parried behind, and a header from the resulting corner dropped agonisingly wide.
The full-time whistle put an end to Saints' cup run and denied a second semi-final appearance in three years, as Watford's memorable journey in the competition continues.
Watford: Morris, Stephenson, Vancea, Sanghrajka (Akinyimika 90+4), Moulton, Georgiou (c), Odiase (Shevchenko 61), Ramirez-Espain, Okosun, Nabizada, Massiah-Edwards.
Subs not used: Braverman, Notley, Galajevs, Smith, Riza.
Goals: Okosun 12, Massiah-Edwards 75.
Yellow Cards: Okosun 90+3.
Saints: Moody, Okunola-Matthews (Adjei-Afriyie 76), Dobson-Ventura (c) (Moore 76), Fry, Sewell (Goremusandu 90+2), Sesay, Oyekunle, Daley, Dipepa (Gathercole 84), Robinson, Sillah Dibaga.
Subs not used: Abbotson, Martin, McMullan.
Goals: Oyekunle 37.
Yellow Cards: Oyekunle 81.
Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis.
