U18 Report: Aston Villa 5-2 Saints
Southampton Under-18s were beaten by Aston Villa in the Under-18s Premier League on Saturday morning.
Andrew Surman's side saw their four-game unbeaten streak come to an end after a high-scoring first half had all-but sealed the victory for the hosts at Bodymoor Heath.
Saints got off to the perfect start in the Midlands, though, as Luke Hawe opened the scoring after just eight minutes.
The Northern Irish striker found the bottom right corner to fire in his first goal of the U18 Premier League season, after being picked out well by Thierry Rohart-Brown's pass.
Saints went close again soon after through Rohart-Brown and Oli Newman, before the hosts woke up and began to get themselves back into the game.
The equaliser arrived just before the half hour mark and sparked a manic ten minute flurry of goals that took the game from 1-0 Southampton to 3-2 Aston Villa.
Markie Meade slammed in a close-range striker to bring the scores level in the 28th minute, before Alfie Lynskey also converted from inside the area to turn the tide in the 33rd minute.
Meade was back on the scoresheet just two minutes later, when he picked out the bottom left corner of Oscar Abbotson's goal.
However, to complete the quickfire spell of scoring, Saints swiftly halved the defecit in the 38th minute as Hawe notched his second of the afternoon with a well-taken finish across goal.
There was to be one more change before the break though, as Villa restored their two-goal advantage in first half stoppage time as Lynskey slotted home his second and Aston Villa's fourth of the game.
In the second half, Saints pushed for a way back into the contest, but efforts from Rohart-Brown and Newman were again kept at bay by Rhys Oakley just like int he first half.
Both sides traded chances throughout, but there was no further breakthrough until stoppage time when Aston Villa rubber-stamped their victory through Oliver Bindley with seconds to spare.
Saints' youngsters return to action next weekend as they look to return to winning ways at home against Chelsea on Saturday 1st November, with an 11am kick-off at Staplewood.
Aston Villa: Oakley, Green, Wilson, Barnard, Bloomfield, Boyd, Quinn (Ramsey 45'), Bindley, Lynskey, McGrath (Hayward 82'), Meade (Hammond 82')
Subs not used: Houston, Addey.
Goals: Meade (28', 35'), Lynskey (33', 45+2'), Bindley (90+3')
Saints: Abbotson, Gbajumo (Anderson 68'), Sewell, Day, Adjei-Afriyie, Nutter (Sainsbury 57'), Rohart-Brown, Duffy (Little 57'), McMullan, Newman, Hawe (Daniels 68')
Subs not used: Wells.
Goals: Hawe (8', 38')
