Five-goal Doyle earns big win for Saints youngsters

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.

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.

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.