U18 Report: Saints 3-1 West Brom
Southampton won 3-1 at Staplewood Campus against West Brom in the Under-18 Premier League.
The Saints dominated their home game with a brace from Luke Hawe and a 66th-minute strike from Tyler Lemon. The Baggies put pressure on the hosts throughout the game and briefly levelled the scores through Shane Gompe in the first half.
West Brom made a positive start and won an early free kick, which was delivered by James Bythell. Broghan Sewell cleared the ball as it headed out of play for a visitors’ corner. The corner was punched away by Oscar Abbotson, but the ball stayed in play. Remar McNeil took a chance on the rebound and fired wide.
The press from the visitors continued as McNeil sprinted down the right wing and took an ambitious shot, which was saved by Abbotson.
West Brom came close again when Bythell crossed to McNeil, who took the shot towards the home net but the ball glided wide once again.
Despite the pressure from the visitors early on, Saints were the first to score with a goal from Hawe inside the box in the 24th minute.
West Brom responded to the Saints lead after a corner kick landed at the feet of Gompe who sent the ball through the legs of the Saints defence and equalised for The Baggies.
At the end of the first half, Ethan Smith attempted to put the visitors ahead with a determined header but it sailed wide.
Andrew Surman’s side opened the second half strong with a fantastic chance created by Hawe who received the ball from Jake Vallance’s flying shot and took the attempt just outside of the box but sent it rolling past the visitors’ goal.
West Brom tried to give themselves an advantage as Bythell ran down the middle and passed to Danyal Iqbal who fired over the bar.
The hosts responded to the pressure with ease with their second goal of the match scored by Lemon, who raced into the box and slotted into the left side of the net.
Marley Parry saw an opportunity to secure the win in the 73rd minute and pushed towards the edge of the box and took the shot that was saved by Maxwell Moses. However, less then 10 minutes later, Hawe’s second goal arrived as he closed down Moses and confidently secured the home side’s fate.
Southampton: Abbotson, Wells (Afzal 61), Vallance, Sewell (c), Robinson, Little (Fletcher 75), Nutter (Lovatt 61), Linton (Lemon 61), Comley (Duffy 45), Parry, Hawe.
Unused substitutes: Clark, Kuzanga.
Goals: Hawe (24’, 85’), Lemon (66’).
Booked: Sewell.
West Brom: Moses (c), Nasibu (Saeed 88), Jackson, Perkins (Hutchinson 75), Asomugha, Iqbal, Gampe, Billings, Bythell (Sankoh 76), McNeil, Smith (Williams 76).
Unused substitutes: Davis, Saa, Camara.
Goal: Gompe (33’).
Referee: Anthony Cross.
