B Team Report: Saints 2-4 Wolves

By SFC Media time Fri 25 Mar Saints vs Wolves
Photo by Isabelle Field | Kamari Doyle
Fri 25 Mar 12PM
Premier League 2 - Division 2
Southampton
2
Wolves
4
Pearce [61'] Lembikisa (og) [69']
goal
Lembikisa [2'] Perry [73'] Harkin [83'] Cundle [90']
Tizzard (22') Payne (76')
yellow card
Tipton (67')
Referee: Ryan Atkin | Venue: Staplewood Campus | Attendance: 58

Southampton's B team suffered a rare defeat in Premier League 2, despite a second half fightback at Staplewood Campus on Friday afternoon.

Off the back of five wins on the bounce visitors Wolves made a confident start, Dexter Lembikisa giving his side the lead after just two minutes.

After a rather sombre first 45 Saints sparked into life during the second, rewarded for their upturn in performance with an equaliser through the prolific Luke Pearce on 61 minutes.

The game was flipped eight minutes later, Lembikisa turning from hero to villain with a header into his own net.

Wolves’ response came via a quick break; Taylor Perry adding to his goal against Aston Villa last time out with another strike to level the scores on 73 minutes.

The topsy-turvy second half produced its final twist on 83 minutes, Lee Harkin grabbing Wolves’ winner with seven minutes remaining before Luke Cundle added a fourth on 90 minutes.

Saints made four changes to the side that won against Reading last Sunday; Eddie Beach coming in between the sticks for his first Premier League 2 start of the season.

Elsewhere there were returns for Olly Lancashire, Kamari Doyle and Diamond Edwards.

Wolves had won five on the bounce and their confidence was clear to see from the off.

It took just two minutes for the visitors to take the lead, Chem Campbell feeding Lembikisa whose shot crept under Beach from a narrow angle.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 25:  during the Premier League 2 match between Southampton B Team and Wolves at Staplewood Training Ground on March 25, 2022 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Isabelle Field/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Thierry Small dribbles the ball during a mellow first-half.

Wolves had a huge chance to make it 2-0 on 24 minutes, the ball falling to Harvey Griffiths on the edge of the box who couldn’t find the target with his first-time strike.

Overall, as far as the first half was concerned, an effort at goal such as this became a rarity, with most of the action contested in the middle of the park.

Saints in particular struggled to create any chances of their own, during a stop-start half that struggled to spark into life for either side.

The second 45 cast a different image initially, half-time substitute Jayden Smith adding some pace and presence to the Saints forward line.

Wolves responded to an invigorated home side with more pressure of their own, making the early stages of the second half much better viewing for those at the training ground.

Taylor Perry had a low, drilled shot from range on 54 minutes, which Beach looked to have covered as it hit the side-netting.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 25:  during the Premier League 2 match between Southampton B Team and Wolves at Staplewood Training Ground on March 25, 2022 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Isabelle Field/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Jack Turner closes down his man.

Saints’ goalscoring threat had certainly increased following the break and soon they got their reward.

A neat move started in midfield through Jack Turner who found Doyle just outside the penalty area.

The creative youngster slipped a neat through ball into Pearce, who finished first time for his seventh goal in seven starts.

Eight minutes later and Saints had turned the game on its head, Turner firing a ball into the box and Lembikisa finding his own net with a wayward header.

With Saints in the driving seat Wolves shocked their hosts with an equaliser from nothing on 73 minutes. Perry firing towards goal and equalising for the visitors after a quick break through the middle of the field.

Both sides went into the last ten minutes looking like they could grab a winner, with the outlook of the game completely different to how it was during the first half.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 25:  during the Premier League 2 match between Southampton B Team and Wolves at Staplewood Training Ground on March 25, 2022 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Isabelle Field/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Luke Pearce celebrates scoring the equaliser.

After a period of pressure at both ends of the pitch, it was Wolves who struck next. Harkin finding space inside the box to turn and shoot as his effort went in off the post on 83 minutes.

Saints held most of the possession during the remaining moments, looking for another twist in this strange second half.

But it was Wolves who added to their lead in the dying moments. Cundle with a solo run into the box from the left side, before rounding Beach and making it 4-2.

Horseman’s side will look to bounce back next Saturday at Burnley in Premier League 2.

Southampton

Head to Head Stats

Wolves
  • Possession (%)
    40
    comparison angle
    60
  • Shots
    3
    comparison angle
    8
  • Shots on target
    1
    comparison angle
    4
  • Corners
    3
    comparison angle
    3
  • Passes Complete
    287
    comparison angle
    479

Southampton PL2

1
Eddie Beach (GK)
3
Will Tizzard yellow card
replace Jayden Smith (45′)
5
Oliver Lancashire
4
Nico Lawrence
6
Kamari Doyle
8
Jack Turner
2
Lewis Payne (C) yellow card
7
Thierry Small
9
Luke Pearce goal
10
Ramello Mitchell
11
Diamond Edwards
replace Ethan Burnett (18′)
14
Jayden Smith
16
Benni Smales-Braithwaite
15
Ethan Burnett
13
Matthew Hall
12
Zuriel Otseh-Taiwo

Wolverhampton Wanderers PL2

1
James Pardington (GK)
4
Oliver Tipton yellow card
6
Kamran Kandola
5
Christian Marques (C)
2
Dexter Lembikisa goal
8
Harvey Griffiths
replace Joseph Hodge (72′)
3
Hugo Bueno
10
Taylor Perry goal
11
Chem Campbell
7
Luke Cundle goal
replace Aaron Keto-Diyawa (92′)
9
Lee Harkin goal
replace Tyler Roberts (88′)
14
Joseph Hodge
13
Joseph O'Shaughnessy
16
Tyler Roberts
12
Aaron Keto-Diyawa
15
Jack Hodnett

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