U18 Report: West Ham 5-2 Saints
Southampton Under-18s were well-beaten by West Ham United in the Under-18s Premier League on Saturday.
Goals from David Chigwada, Emmanuel Fejokwu, Martin Peychev and Andre Dike saw West Ham go 4-0 ahead, but Saints responded through Harry Gathercole’s smart finish.
A fifth arrived for West Ham shortly after when Joel Kerr netted, whilst Saints midfielder Thierry Rohart-Brown’s spectacular late strike proved only to be another consolation.
West Ham took an early lead when striker Chigwada seized upon a loose pass at the back and swept home.
It was soon 2-0 when a corner from Tomas Jonyla found its way through a crowded penalty area and was turned home by Fejokwu close to the goalline.
A good save from George Moloney prevented the home side making it three when Chigwada sped through into space to shoot across goal but saw his effort tipped wide.
Saints enjoyed some good spells of possession towards the end of the first half as they looked to find back into the game and build into the second half, with Rohart-Brown firing wide after cleverly worked his way into the penalty area.
Unfortunately for Saints, it was the hosts who got an early goal in the second half to extend their lead further when a corner fell kindly in the box for Peychev to stab home from close range.
With 67 minutes on the clock, the hosts then made it 4-0 when Dike stole possession in a dangerous area and duly dispatched his shot into the back of the net.
Just three minutes later though, Saints had a response when the ball dropped nicely for Gathercole in the West Ham area as his snapped shot found the bottom corner.
Andrew Surman’s side would have been wanting to build on this but, barely a minute later, West Ham scored again when Joel Kerr went through on goal and finished calmly.
This put the game beyond Saints, although there was still time for a superb goal from Rohart-Brown to add some more respectability to the scoreline as he caught Lanre Awesu out with an audacious long-range lob.
Saints are in action again on Saturday 7th February when host Norwich City in the Under-18 Premier League, with kick off at Staplewood set for 11am
West Ham: Awesu, Fejokwu (Montague 73'), Jonyla, Smith, Leacock (c), Unwin, Dike (Healy-Matthew 73'), Brooks, Omotoye (61'), Chigwada (Kerr 61'), Beckford, Peychev.
Subs not used: Hooper.
Goals: Chigwada (6'), Fejokwu (13'), Peychev (47'), Dike (67'), Kerr (71').
Yellow cards: Brooks
Saints: Moloney, Rodda (Day 62'), Vallance, Sewell, Goremusandu, Nutter, Duffy (Umeh 73'), Rohart-Brown, Daniels (Hawe 73'), McMullan (c) (Little 62'), Gathercole.
Subs not used: Newman.
Goals: Gathercole (70'), Rohart-Brown (87').
