U23 Report: Saints 1-3 Leicester

Che Adams, who started the game along with fellow senior player Oriol Romeu, gave Saints a 1-0 lead but goals George Hirst, Callum Wright and Connor Tee gave the Foxes the three points.

Both sides showed their intentions in a physical opening 10 minutes but it was the Foxes who had the first chance as Hirst shot low but Saints keeper Harry Lewis was on hand to parry the effort away.

Shortly after the home side were forced into an early substitution as Will Ferry, who was replaced by Enzo Robise, was on the end of a late sliding tackle by Vontae Daley-Campbell who received a yellow card.

The visitors forced another save from Lewis but on 24 minutes a through ball by Captain Romeu found Adams who calmly slotted in past visiting goalkeeper Tobias Viktor-Johansson.

On the half hour it was Hirst again in the action as his effort was deflected wide for a corner. The resulting corner from Luke Thomas went straight to the feet of Wright who equalised at the front post.

Saints U23s nearly went straight back into the lead from kick off as Dan NLundulu shot wide but it was the visitors who went ahead just minutes later.

Khanya Leshabela ran into the box and a tackle from behind by Jacob Maddox was adjudged to be a penalty and Hirst sent Lewis the wrong way to make it 2-1 to the Foxes.

Saints finished the half with a chance of their own as Robise got to the byline and passed back to Adams but the striker couldn’t keep his effort down.

The second half began as a cagey affair with both sides unable to create a clear opportunity and it took until the 71st minute as Leicester won a free kick on the edge of the area.

It was Hirst who stepped up and his bending free kick got over the wall but Lewis was able to crucially tip over. 

Again it was the Leicester striker causing problems with 10 minutes to go as he picked up the ball on the left hand side, cut inside and shot narrowly wide past Lewis.

Leshabela and Ali Reghba came close for the visitors but Saints nearly equalised in the final minutes as Maddox won a free kick on the edge of the area.

Jake Vokins' initial effort hit the wall but Adams' followed up with a blistering effort which cannoned back off the post.

However Leicester sealed the win with the last kick of the game as Tee pounched on a loose ball to make it 3-1 and means the Foxes stay second in Premier League 2 just three points behind leaders Chelsea.

The result leaves Saints second from bottom on 15 points, six points from 10th placed Tottenham Hotspur with their next test in Premier League 2 being against Brighton and Hove Albion at the American Express Community Stadium.