U18 Report: Saints 4-2 Brentford

An early Beau Redknapp brace put the Bees in control early on, with Walter Nutter - fresh from signing a first professional contract in the week - reducing the arrears on the stroke of half-time.

With momentum now with the hosts, Fabio Sainsbury levelled the scores six minutes after the restart before an action-packed conclusion to the game.

Hadley Clark became the Saints hero when he saved Enrique Roca's 83rd minute penalty, keeping things level until Nutter's second of the day in the last minute completed the comeback, made more convincing by Jude Daniels's effort deep into stoppage time to secure the opening day win.

Walter Nutter was Saints' two-goal hero (Photo: Craig Hobbs)

The visitors were making their U18 Premier League debut and got off to the perfect start when Coran Madden squared for Redknapp to convert.

Remaining in the ascendancy, Brentford pinched possession deep in Saints' half with Jai Nwosu playing in Redknapp who kept his cool to beat Clark.

Clark was in action again at the midway point of the half to keep out Jai Bansoodeb's free-kick, swiftly followed by another save, this time to deny Nwosu.

Having managed to keep the deficit at two, Andrew Surman's side slowly grew into the half and finished the opening 45 minutes brightly, benefiting from a slice of luck.

Nutter's cross was looking for a teammate in the middle, but visiting keeper Layton Nicholls let the ball slip through his hands having come out to claim the ball, trickling over the line to leave the score at 2-1 at half-time.

Jude Daniels rounded off the scoring (Photo: Craig Hobbs)

Buoyed by getting back into the game, Saints started brightly after the restart as Max Little's driving run ended with a cross being flashed across the face of goal.

Kept alive at the far post, Sainsbury worked the ball into a shooting position and fired past Nicholls to make it level seven minutes after the restart.

Now back in the balance, Nwosu was denied by the post when clear through on goal, before the final 10 minutes produced drama aplenty.

The dangerous Nwosu won a penalty when brought down by Clark, with the Saints stopper making amends with a smart save down low to his right.

Andrew Surman leads the full-time team talk (Photo: Craig Hobbs)

With stoppage time approaching, Nutter rounded off an impressive afternoon with a brilliant finish into the top corner to seemingly seal the points, only for Daniels to round off the scoring by converting into an empty net after the Bees went for broke and sent Nicholls up for a late set-piece.

Southampton: Clark, Vallance, Day, Martin, Robinson, Nutter, Duffy (Comley 30’ (Kuzanga 61’), Sainsbury, Daniels, Hawe (Lemon 61’), Little.

Subs not used: Lovatt, Moloney, Wells, Bariami.

Goals: Nutter (45+1’, 89'), Sainsbury (52’), Daniels (90+6’).

Booked: Martin, Vallance.

Brentford: Nicholls, Fanoiki (Serme 70’), Foster-Jones (Biggs 55’), Oladapo-Gamu, Danso, Cohalan, Madden (E. Roca 70’), Redknapp, Nwosu, Bansoodeb, Kasujja.

Subs not used: Lyon, Mason.

Goals: Redknapp (7’, 14’).

Booked: Bansoodeb, Danso.