U18 Report: Brighton 3-2 Saints
Southampton Under-18s suffered a narrow defeat in an entertaining game at Brighton’s Amex Elite Football Performance Centre in the Under-18 Premier League on Saturday.
The hosts raced into an early lead when Jacob Parsons’ low cross from the right was missed by Jake Vallance in the middle, allowing Bailey Palmer to provide the finish at the far post with a deflected shot.
Saints’ response was instant and effective, as Archie Lovatt’s floated corner was met by a towering leap from Broghan Sewell at the far post to level the scores with only 11 minutes on the clock.
The same combination caused problems for Brighton again when Lovatt’s cross created another sight of goal for Saints skipper Sewell, but this time the defender fired a shot into the sidenetting.
It was from another set-piece that Saints turned the game on its head to lead midway through the first half, as Wyatt Comley lined up a free-kick 20 yards from goal and fired an unstoppable strike around the wall and into the top corner.
Saints might have extended the lead before the interval when Luke Fletcher’s pass released Comley, who spotted the overlapping run of Fabio Sainsbury, before the right-back was denied by goalkeeper Charlie Wilson-Papps at his near post.
But the Seagulls came out after half time with renewed vigour, as Finley Cooper flashed a low shot narrowly wide before Bailey’s corner from the right was glanced home by Chetam Ezenwata to level things up once more.
The hosts took maximum points thanks to Chris Condy’s 61st-minute winner, as the impressive Palmer found space down the right to deliver a cross and the Brighton No. 9 powered a downward header past Hadley Clark in the Saints goal.
The visitors did come close to rescuing a point late on when a long-range strike dipped inches wide of Wilson-Papps’ left-hand post, but ultimately Andrew Surman’s side were just edged out in West Sussex.
Brighton U18: Wilson-Papps, Cooper, Evans (Sykens 46), Ezenwata, Nneji, Hartshorn, Brennan (c) (Widdop 70), Stephens (Smith 74), Parsons, Palmer (Pope 82), Condy (Oppong 74).
Unused substitutes: Doyle, Rudin.
Goals: Palmer (5'), Ezenwata (47'), Condy (61').
Booked: Evans, Brennan.
Southampton U18: Clark, Sainsbury, Sewell (c), Vallance, Afzal (Robinson 46), Fletcher (Lawson 46), Lovatt, Comley (Bariami 57), Linton (Ramlal-Henry 62), Parry (Lemon 46), Hawe.
Unused substitutes: Bowden.
Goals: Sewell (11'), Comley (24').
Booked: Linton, Sainsbury.
