U21 Report: Bolton 1-1 Saints
Southampton Under-21s continued their unbeaten start to their Premier League Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw at Bolton Wanderers on Friday night.
Men’s First Team summer signing David Watson gave Wanderers the lead in the second half, before Harry Gathercole earned Saints a point in Group A.
Adam Lallana’s side arrived in Greater Manchester up against a Bolton side boasting several senior players, including Japan international Atsuki Itō and Watson.
Looking to maintain their unbeaten start in Premier League 2 and the PL Cup, the reinforced Trotters enjoyed the better of the opening proceedings.
In the opening 30 minutes, Watson fired a shot just over the crossbar and Toby Ritchie was brilliantly denied by a smart Dylan Moody save.
Growing into the half, Lallana’s side ended the opening 45 minutes in the ascendancy and went closest to opening the scoring when Gathercole was denied by Luke Hutchinson’s save, before Brandon Charles’s follow up was somehow blocked by Emile Oliver.
There was still time for Luke Hawe to nod wide at the far post before the referee’s whistle ended an evenly contested first half.
The visitors remained on top after the restart, but it was Bolton who took the lead shortly before the hour-mark.
Ritchie teed up Watson on the edge of the box, which the midfielder coolly slotted into the bottom corner after working a yard of space.
Lallana’s side failed to back down, however, mustering an equaliser as the final 10 minutes approached.
Sufianu Sillah Dibaga’s direct run ended with a pull-back that was perfect for Gathercole to run onto and lash into the back of the net.
Both sides then had chances to win it, as Sonny Coyne spurned a glorious chance by dragging his shot wide before at the death Sillah Dibaga saw an attempt come back off the post to force a share of the spoils.
Bolton: Hutchinson, Paye, O’Neill, Oliver, Leigh (Kirkpatrick 77’), Itō (Irwin 46’), Watson, Lewis (Clement 83’), Ritchie, Lawrence (Coyne 77’).
Unused substitutes: Lomax, Evans, Quirk.
Goals: Watson (57’).
Booked: Watson, Leigh.
Southampton: Moody, Whittaker, Kayi Sanda, Anderson (Day 70’), Gbajumo (Adjei-Afriyie 70’), Charles (Little 46’), Kakay, McMullan (Daley 63’), Gathercole, Hawe, Bailey (Sillah Dibaga 57’).
Unused substitutes: Clark.
Goals: Gathercole (79’).
Referee: Declan Brown.
