U18 Report: West Brom 0-3 Saints

With no breakthrough in the first half, Saints took full control after half-time as Josh Pitts opened the scoring on 54 minutes after finishing a rebound.

Nick Oyekunle’s smart finish made it 2-0 shortly after before Pitts’s second, turned home from close range, confirmed the result in their favour.

Oyekunle’s running in behind caused West Brom some early problems and the striker almost opened the scoring on two separate occasions but couldn’t quite gain full control of the ball under pressure.

The first shot on target of the contest came for the home side when Alfie Maughan produced a driving run to the edge of the Saints penalty area and forced a save from Henry Upstell, who had been introduced as an early substitute for the injured Oscar Abbotson.

Home goalkeeper Louis Brady then had to make a save of his own when tipping wide after Abdul Okonola-Matthews’s low ball into the box was deflected towards the bottom corner of the net.

Saints defender Max Fry was then forced into some superb action on his own goalline when Dan Chimeziri rounded Upstell and hit a firm effort goalwards, with Fry heading off the line to prevent the hosts breaking the deadlock.

Saints had dominated the first half in terms of possession and ended the opening 45 by testing Brady again, with Korban McMullan seeing his powerful strike beaten away well.

Calum McFarlane and Andrew Surman’s side started the second half quickly and, after James Martin had struck the bar, they took the lead with their next attack as Pitts turned home a rebound from close range.

It was soon 2-0 when another incisive move through the centre of the pitch saw Oyekunle played into a shooting position, and the striker forced his shot in at the near post on 64 minutes after shifting the ball onto his left foot.

The confidence was really flowing for Saints and a third goal duly arrived just three minutes later when Pitts was on hand to turn home from close range after being set up by Abdul Okonola-Matthews.

From that point, the three points were secure for Saints as they saw out their win professionally in the latter stages.

West Brom: Brady, Maughan, Sears (Trialist 64), Crowther, Dupont, Morrish (c), Beedie (Okorodudu 67), Blackshields (Letlat 64), Chimeziri (Abudu 85), Parmar, Onyemachi.

Subs not used: Wilkes.

Saints: Abbotson (Upstell 9), Okonola-Matthew, Dobson-Ventura (c), Fry, Sheaf, McMullan, Newman (Sillah-Dibaga 66), Sesay, Oyekunle, Martin, Pitts.

Subs not used: Adjei-Afriye, Bassega, Goremusandu.

Goals: Pitts (54, 67), Oyekunle (64).