U18 Report: Fulham 3-2 Saints
Southampton Under-18s fell to a 3-2 defeat against Fulham on their return to action in the Under-18s Premier League on Saturday.
Saints took a deserved lead in the first half through Josh Pitts, but Fulham equalised before the break through Lemar Gordon.
Two further goals for the hosts in the second period saw them claim the three points as Farhaan Ali Walid and Brad De Jesus found the net, meaning that Max Fry's late finish from a corner acted as only a consolation.
The first shot of the contest came courtesy of Fulham striker Callum Osmand, who couldn’t force the ball past Saints goalkeeper Dylan Moody from close range.
Saints responded with a first opportunity of their own as Pitts’s free kick delivery was headed over the bar by Tommy Dobson-Ventura.
With 20 minutes on the clock, Osmand found space in the penalty area to shoot low and hard towards the bottom corner, but Moody was again on hand and produced a superb save down to his right.
It was Saints who were then rewarded for their own positive start to proceedings in the 22nd minute.
Good play on the right flank, involving Prince Ehibhatiomhan and Will Merry, saw the former clip a deep cross to Pitts at the back post; the number nine worked space for himself well before firing powerfully across goal and into the bottom corner.
Josh Pitts celebrates his goal. (Photos: Craig Hobbs)
Fulham worked their way back into the game and duly equalised with 10 minutes of the first-half remaining when Gordon got his name on the scoresheet.
After heading into the break level, Saints searched for their second soon after the restart when a set-piece routine saw Joe Andrews send a stinging effort goalwards that was saved.
The hosts then missed a huge opportunity when a mix up at the back from Saints presented Ali Walid with an open goal, but he sliced his shot over the bar.
The next attack did see the hosts take the lead though, when Ali Walid produced a finish to a cross into the Saints box.
A third for Fulham then came courtesy of De Jesus just after the hour mark, when the full-back controlled well and volleyed home from outside the area.
As Saints looked for a way back into it, a Dobson-Ventura header from a corner was saved by Marco Underwood, before Andrews saw his long-range strike fly over.
Saints worked hard late on and found a late response when Fry squeezed the ball in from a corner that was delivered to the near post, but Fulham were able to see out their win.
Saints are in action again on Saturday 20th January when they travel away to face West Bromwich Albion in the Under-18 Premier League, with kick-off set for 12pm.
Fulham: Underwood, De Jesus, Slade (Tabares 63), Amissah, Nsasi, Nwoko, Olyott, Quashie, Osmand, Ali Walid (Bogle-Campbell 86), Gordon.
Subs not used: White, Wingate, Park.
Goals: Gordon 36. Ali Walid 49, De Jesus 63.
Saints: Moody, Okonola-Matthews (Myers 76), Dobson-Ventura (c), Fry, Sesay, Andrews, Merry, Rohart-Brown (Oyekunle 64), Pitts (Gathercole 76), Daley, Ehibhatiomhan (Martin 75).
Subs not used: Upstell.
Goals: Pitts 22, Fry 90+6.
