U18 Report: Saints 2-0 West Ham
Southampton started their Under-18 Premier League season with a comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham United on Saturday.
The win was earned by a fast start to the game and first-half goals from winger Leo Umeh and midfielder Korban McMullan, whilst further opportunities for Oliver Newman and Hansel Adjei-Afriyie could have seen an even greater winning margin.
Saints made a lively start to the game and almost found an opening when Umeh was played in behind the West Ham backline and looked to play the ball across goal to open teammates, but his ball into the area was cut out by a retreating West Ham defender.
The energy that Andrew Surman’s side were showing soon paid dividends as winger Umeh broke the deadlock – cutting in from the right and snapping a left-footed drive into the far corner.
It was almost 2-0 to the hosts at Staplewood when Thierry Rohart-Brown won the ball in the West Ham half and slid Oliver Newman through on goal, but the striker lifted his subsequent shot over the bar.
It had been Saints on top for much of the first period and they deservedly doubled their advantage in the 43rd minute when McMullan found space inside the area to slide home inside the near post.
West Ham looked for a response shortly before the break when good footwork from Andre Dike saw him work space for a shot but the ball bobbled wide without troubling Saints goalkeeper George Moloney.
The first chance of the second half saw Saints go close to adding a third of the contest when a quick move involving Rohart-Brown and Adjei-Afriyie saw the latter burst into a shooting position, but he could only find the side-netting from a tight angle.
Two more chances saw the hosts continue to push as the game moved past the hour mark. Harry Gathercole’s run and shot produced a good block from West Ham at the back and then, as Saints recycled the ball, Adjei-Afriyie saw a cross deflect narrowly over the bar.
Despite having to defend well in the latter stages, Saints saw out a deserved win to begin their league campaign in the best fashion.
Saints are in action again on Saturday 23rd August when they travel away to take on Arsenal, with kick-off at the Sobha Realty Training Centre set for midday BST.
Southampton: Moloney, Adjei-Afriyie, Vallance, Martin, Sewell, Rohart-Brown (Sainsbury 77), Umeh (Little 52), McMullan (c), Newman (Goremusandu 77), Rodda (Robinson 89), Gathercole.
Subs not used: Richardson.
Goals: Umeh (12'), McMullan (43').
Booked: Rodda.
West Ham: Awesu, Perkins, Scanlon, Leacock, Jonyla (Unwin 82), Agyemang (Medine 69), Dike, Kamara, Chigwada (Kerr 63), Beckford, Balogun (Brooks 69).
Subs not used: Goodger.
