U21 Report: Saints 1-1 Liverpool

Liverpool took the lead through Tommy Pilling, but then saw Amara Nallo sent off after 24 minutes as they were forced to defend their lead with 10 men for over an hour.

Saints were largely frustrated for most of the second half but found their equaliser with just two minutes of normal time remaining when Nick Oyekunle levelled things up from the penalty spot.

After a tight opening to the game where both teams were looking for control of the play, Liverpool took a 20th minute lead when Josh Davidson's cross was headed home by Pilling.

However, the visitors to the Silverlake Stadium were dealt a blow just four minutes later when Nallo was shown a straight red card for a late challenge.

From then, the first Saints chance came just after the half hour when Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh beat his man on halfway to race in behind and advance into the box, but his left-footed effort was well saved by Armin Pecsi, as Oyekunle also saw a rebound blocked close to goal.

Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh came close on multiple occasions. (Photos: Craig Hobbs)

Pecsi was forced into more action when a clearance deflected off a body in the Liverpool area and looped towards goal, before the visiting shot-stopper tipped over.

Saints ended the half with their best move as they went even closer to levelling the game up.

Play progressed down the right and saw a ball cut back towards Aston Daley, who had made the run from midfield, to place a right-footed shot across goal, but his effort flew narrowly wide.

A frustrating period for Saints followed in the second half, with Adam Lallana’s side dominating the ball but struggling to find a way through as the ten men of Liverpool defended deep.

The equaliser almost came in the 76th minute when patient play saw O’Brien-Whitmarsh force another important low save from Pecsi, before Thierry Rohart-Brown’s rebound was somehow blocked on the line.

Late drama unfolded though as Saints continued to knock on the door late on, and they were awarded a penalty in the 88th minute.

Liverpool had failed to clear a corner and Oyekunle was taken down when challenging for a loose ball, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot as Saints' striker picked himself up to take matters into his own hands.

Oyekunle confidently dispatched the resulting spot-kick, to earn a deserved share of the spoils in the closing minutes.

Nick Oyekunle converted his penalty confidently.

Saints are next in action on Friday 13th February when they travel away to face Norwich City in Premier League 2, with kick off at The Avant Training Centre set for 3pm.

Saints: Abbotson, Adjei-Afriyie (Charles 73'), Dobson-Ventura (c), Kayi Sanda, Sesay, Williams, Daley (Rohart-Brown 56'), O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Merry (Gathercole 56'), Sillah Dibaga, Oyekunle.

Subs not used: Okunola, Kakay.

Goals: Oyekunke (88' pen)

Yellow cards: Abbotson, Oyekunle, Adjei-Afriyie.

Liverpool: Pecsi, Davidson, Pinnington, Nallo (c), Ewing, Kelly (Onanuga 71'), Morrison, Pilling, Figueroa (Wright 55'), Laffey, Koné-Doherty (Adekoya 27').

Subs not used: Poytress, Bradshaw.

Goals: Pilling (20')

Yellow cards: Davidson, Kelly.

Red cards: Nallo (24')

Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis.