Five-goal Doyle earns big win for Saints youngsters

By Marc Walker time Sat 21 Aug Saints vs Birmingham City
Photo by Matt Watson | Kami Doyle
Sat 21 Aug 11.30AM
U18 Premier League
Southampton
7
Birmingham City
2
Doyle [11'] [15'] [41'] [75'] [80'] Ross-Lang [31'] Ballard [87']
goal
Khela [51'] Bellingham [59']
yellow card
Ogor (31') (86')
red card
Ogor (86')
Venue: Staplewood Campus | Attendance: 0

A stunning five-goal haul for forward Kami Doyle helped Southampton Under-18s to a superb 7-2 win over Birmingham City on Saturday and gave them their second straight league win to start the season.

Saints started proceedings in composed fashion and created the first opening of the game when Dom Ballard volleyed over the bar after meeting a deep cross from the right.

However, it was not long before Saints took control of the first-half with two quickfire goals in the 11th and 15th minutes.

Kami Doyle finished well on both occasions – smashing home the opener after good pressing from the hosts had forced a loose pass in the Birmingham penalty and then wrong-footing visiting goalkeeper Alfie Brooks with a curling strike into the top corner.

Further chances for both sides then came and went. Ifeoluwa Oni’s wild effort from a promising position failed to trouble Eddie Beach in the Saints goal before Fedel Ross-Lang struck narrowly wide of the far post at the other end.

Ross-Lang would soon be on the scoresheet though when he confidently dispatched a 31st minute penalty after an attack that saw fellow forward Doyle upended in the area.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 21: Southampton players celebrate during the U18 PL match between Southampton FC U18 and Birmingham City U18, at the Staplewood Campus on August 21, 2021 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC)
Saints celebrate Doyle's first of the afternoon.

Left-back Josh Lett and goalkeeper Beach had to be alert to clear danger near their own goal but Saints added to their lead to give themselves a four-goal cushion going in into half-time.

Not content with his early brace, Doyle stepped up and bent a free-kick over the defensive wall and in to complete what was a superb hat-trick.

Into the second-half, Saints would have been wanting to extend their lead and they almost did when two Dom Ballard shots were well blocked by Birmingham goalkeeper Alfie Brooks.

The visitors pushed forward with an attack of their own in reply though and pulled a goal back when Brandon Khela turned home a close range rebound in the aftermath of a set-piece.

Fedel Ross-Lang almost netted his second of the afternoon when he forced a flying save shortly afterwards but it was Birmingham who added to the scoreline next with the game’s second penalty.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 21: Kamari Doyle of Southampton celebrates with Josh Lett(R) after scoring during the U18 PL match between Southampton FC U18 and Birmingham City U18, at the Staplewood Campus on August 21, 2021 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC)
Doyle and Josh Lett celebrate.

Eddie Beach saved the original spot-kick from Jobe Bellingham but the Birmingham forward rolled home on the rebound after the ball fell back kindly to him.

The Blues sensed an opportunity to truly get themselves back into the game, but any hope of a comeback was removed when Saints’ man of the moment Doyle raced clear of their defence and calmly slotted home across goal to take his haul for the day to four.

He was not done there though. With 10 minutes left on the clock, another through ball gave him another chance to beat Birmingham defenders and goalkeeper Brooks to the ball and he had the simple task of rolling his fifth goal into an empty net to round off a fine individual performance.

Birmingham were dealt a further blow when defender Chris Ogor was sent off for two bookable offences, and a late flurry of action was complete when Saints striker Dom Ballard knocked in a rebound and gave his side a seventh after Jem Hewlett’s header had been saved.

Saints will be hoping to make it three straight wins in the Under-18s Premier League when they travel to face West Ham away from home next Saturday, with kick-off at 11am.

Related

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Southampton

1
Eddie Beach (GK)
2
Sonnie Davis
3
Joshua Lett
4
Jem Hewlett (C)
5
Jeremi Rodriguez
6
Cameron Bragg
7
Luke Pearce
replace Tyler Dibling (56′)
8
Josh Squires
9
Dom Ballard goal
10
Kami Doyle goal goal goal goal goal
replace Kaya Tshaka (81′)
11
Fedel Ross-Lang goal
replace Trialist B (87′)
12
Kaya Tshaka
13
Jack Phillips
14
Trialist A
15
Tyler Dibling
16
Trialist B

Birmingham City

1
Alfie Brooks (GK)
2
Ifeoluwa Oni
3
Pharell Williams
replace Morgan Dance (46′)
4
Luke Carsley
replace Brandon Khela (46′) goal
14
Cianole Nguepissi
6
Chris Ogor yellow card yellow card red card
7
Rico Patterson
8
Josh Home
9
Kieran Wakefield (C)
10
Jobe Bellingham goal
11
George Hall
12
Brandon Khela
13
William O'Sullivan
15
Ben Beresford
16
Byron Pendleton
19
Morgan Dance
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