U23 Report: West Brom 1-1 Saints

A win would have put Radhi Jaïdi’s side two points clear and firmly in the driving seat but as it is, they will head into their final fixture against Sunderland level on 40 points with both Reading and Wolves.

A dominant first half performance yielded a host of scoring chances, which would later prove to be costly as West Brom’s Morgan Rogers cancelled out Will Smallbone’s penalty 14 minutes from time.

Jaïdi’s youngsters headed into the game in the knowledge that only two wins would guarantee the title and they will be left wondering how they were unable to make their early pressure count against a highly-experienced West Brom side.

The likes of Wes Hoolahan, Tyrone Mears, James Morrison and Jonathan Leko started the game for the hosts who nonetheless started the game on the back-foot in the face of a high-intensity opening from Saints.

Lining up in a 3-4-3, the visitors fashioned the only presentable chances of the first half. Tom O’Connor narrowly missed connection on a curling Smallbone free-kick before Jake Vokins’s devilishly inviting early cross from the left was headed out from under the West Brom crossbar inside the opening quarter of an hour.

With the Baggies, overrun in midfield, the sights of goal for Saints continued as the half drew on; Bradley House could only parry Dan N’Lundulu’s shot into the path of Smallbone, but the midfielder could only scuff his left-footed rebound back into the ‘keeper’s arms from inside the penalty area.

The best of them fell to Dan N’Lundulu, the striker fiercely lashing inches over the angle of crossbar and post with House then acrobatically flicking away Tyreke Johnson’s shot moments later.

N’Lundulu headed wide on the run from Harry Hamblin’s precise back-post cross and ought to have done better when turning into space on the edge of the box, instead shooting tamely at the goalkeeper.

A pair of near-post blocks from Christoph Klarer ensured Saints were not caught out on the counter-attack at the end of a half in which the home side failed to register a single shot on target.

Saints were rewarded for the first-half endeavour with an instant of the restart. Johnson’s angled run into the box drew three home defenders and a trip on the winger handed Smallbone the chance to set up a deserved lead.

He duly delivered, smashing low into the corner via a touch from House to cue passionate celebrations from the boys in red and white stripes, the potential significance of the goal clear to see.

Jaïdi had called on his side to treat the game like any other and their composure, handling of pressure and game management skills were put under heavy scrutiny for the remainder of the encounter.

Klarer might have even doubled their advantage just after the hour-mark, Will Ferry’s right-wing free-kick finding the defender unmarked in the centre to head straight at House.

The Austrian’s positioning was once again required at the other end to block Leko’s shot on with his chest on the goal-line after the forward had snaked inside three Saints defenders down the inside-right channel.

There was nothing they could do about West Brom’s equaliser on 76 minutes from a superbly struck free-kick. With Hoolahan looking to be the more likely taker, midfielder Rogers swept the ball right-footed up and over the wall and beyond the dive of Jack Rose to level the scores.

It was a moment that left Saints rueing their profligacy in the first half, a draw the fairest result given the way West Brom forced their way back into the game after the break.

With Saints now level on points with Wolves and Reading, a nail-biting conclusion to the PL2 season awaits on Monday 29 April at St Mary's.  

Head to Head Stats

• Possession (%)
  63

  37
• Shots
  9

  19
• Shots on target
  3

  7
• Corners
  3

  8
• Passes Complete
  390

  188