U21 Report: West Brom 2-2 Saints
Southampton Under-21s were pegged back late on and had to settle for a 2-2 draw at West Brom in the Premier League Cup on Friday evening.
Cole Deeming’s opener saw West Brom go ahead in the 16th minute, but Prince Ehibhatiomhan levelled for Saints just before half time.
A late penalty from Ehibhatiomhan saw him double his tally for the evening and put Saints ahead, but West Brom claimed a share of the spoils when Souleyman Mandey struck in stoppage time.
Saints had the first shot on goal of the game when Brook Myers took aim from a wide angle and saw his shot comfortably saved by West Brom goalkeeper Ben Cisse.
Adli Mohamed was then called into his first action of the evening when Cole Deeming fired in a strong left footed shot that looked to be arrowing into the roof of the net, but the Saints keeper tipped over well.
Some pressure from the hosts then led to them taking the lead when midfielder Cole Deeming headed home after meeting a deep corner to the back post.
Will Armitage wins a header. (Photos: Malcolm Couzens)
Saints looked to respond and had a set-piece opportunity of their own on the half hour mark, but Will Armitage couldn’t connect fully with the lofted ball into the box.
The hosts had the best openings up to that stage and went within inches of doubling their lead when Kevin Mfuamba drilled a long-range effort narrowly over the join of post and crossbar with 33 minutes played
The biggest threat of the opening period for Saints was Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh, who twice saw late runs beyond the attackers produce a chance but he was denied good blocks on both occasions.
Simon Rusk’s side had grown towards the end of the first 45 though and, after seeing opportunities for Jay Robinson and Will Armitage not find the net, they levelled the game up at 1-1.
Striker Prince Ehibhatiomhan made a run into the right side of the West Brom penalty area to latch onto a through pass and placed a first time shot across goal and perfectly into the corner of the net.
Princewill Ehibhatiomhan equalises during the first half.
Into the second half, Saints almost grabbed the lead when Brandon Charles won possession high in the West Brom half and tricked his way past his marker in the box before clearing the bar with his shot.
The hosts responded though and saw efforts from Eseosa Sule and Fenton Heard go close – the first flying wide of the far post and the second forcing a full stretch save from Adli Mohamed.
With the game moving into its final quarter, the home side missed a big chance to move in front in the contest when Harry Whitwell met a cross from the left but could only head straight into the arms of Mohamed.
Having seen off the pressure, Saints looked to build some momentum towards the final whistle and did just that when they were awarded a penalty in the 79th minute.
New addition Baylee Dipepa had been introduced as a substitute and won the spot-kick when he was taken down forcing his way into a shooting position and Prince Ehibhatiomhan calmly dispatched from 12 yards for his second goal of the game.
A cooly taken penalty earns Ehibhatiomhan and Saints a second.
Forward Dipepa almost marked his first Saints appearance with a goal too when a loose ball fell perfectly to him on the edge of the West Brom area but he couldn’t wrap his foot around his shot enough to find the bottom corner.
Despite a performance that perhaps deserved the win after their resilience had earned them a position of strength in the game, Saints were to suffer late heartbreak when West Brom substitute Souleyman Mandey found the top corner in stoppage time.
West Brom: Cisse, Nelson, Shaw, Mfuamba (Walker 70), Diomande (Parker 87), Richards, Williams, Deeming (Souleyman 87), Sule (Dauda 70), Whitwell, Heard
Subs not used: Wallis.
Goals: Deeming 16, Mandey 90+1.
Saints: Mohamed, Tabares (Abu 62), Lett (Dipepa 75), Armitage, Hewlett, Buck, Myers (Dibaga 62), O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Ehibhatiomhan, Charles, Robinson
Subs not used: Shombe.
Goals: Ehibhatiomhan 45+1, 79
