U21 Report: Sutton 0-0 Saints (3-1 on pens)
Southampton Under-21s were beaten 3-1 on penalties after a spirited performance with 10 men at Sutton in the National League Cup.
Adam Lallana’s side had Harry Gathercole dismissed in the first half, shown a straight red card for raising his hands to an opponent, but continued to carry a threat despite being a man down.
Aston Daley twice came close to a late winner, but spot-kicks would be required to separate the sides.
Lewis Bailey came close to an early opener from Gathercole’s piercing through ball, only to be denied by the sprawling figure of Sutton stopper Chris Haigh.
The hosts responded by forcing a fine save from Dylan Moody, who spread himself well to keep out Sam Folarin’s low drive, before Jermaine Francis pulled the ball dangerously across goal but could not pick out a teammate.
The chances kept coming at both ends. Brandon Charles combined well with Max Little, who set up Hansel Adjei-Afriyie for a low shot that just whistled past Haigh’s far post, before Little’s deflected free-kick left Haigh rooted to the spot, grateful to see the ball disappear past the post.
Saints would have to play more than half of the game with 10 men following the 39th-minute dismissal of Gathercole, who reacted angrily following a foul by Dan Urpens, raising his hands to the throat of Joe Knight and duly receiving his marching orders.
Urpens headed just wide as Sutton tried to cash in on their numerical advantage before the interval, but Saints continued to create chances despite being a man down.
Daley and Broghan Sewell both saw opportunities to catch out Haigh from long range, with Sewell only narrowly off target from wide on the left touchline, before a similarly ambitious attempt from Sutton’s Omar Mussa forced a flying save from Moody.
Daley had two big chances to win the game inside 90 minutes, as first he was denied by a goal-line clearance with Haigh beaten, before heading wide from a cross by substitute Wyatt Comley.
Comley was one of three Saints to miss from the spot as the game went to penalties, as Daley was also denied by Haigh before Calum Anderson blazed over to give Sutton skipper Will Nightingale the chance to seal victory, sending Moody the wrong way to find the bottom corner.
Sutton United: Haigh, Urpens (Donkor 76), Nightingale (c), Amartey, Topalloj (Francis 1), Mussa, Knight (Byron 46), Bell, Folarin, Njoku, Ogbonna.
Unused substitutes: Brits, Taylor, Bello, Carter.
Booked: Mussa, Knight, Urpens.
Southampton: Moody, Adjei-Afriyie, Anderson, Day, Sewell (Gbajumo 79), Daley, Kakay (c), Gathercole, Charles (Linton 68), Little (Comley 79), Bailey (Kayi Sanda 46).
Unused substitutes: McNamara, Grieves, Whittaker.
Booked: Kakay, Little, Day, Sewell, Moody.
Sent off: Gathercole (39').
Referee: Abigail Byrne.
Attendance: 424.
