B Team Report: Saints suffer narrow defeat

The hosts found an early lead through Dylan Stephenson before Saints turned the scores around to lead at half time.

Dom Ballard and Nico Lawrence were on target at Whitely Park, but the hosts produced a comeback of their own in the second half.

Goals from Isaac Westenoorf and Joe White proved to be the difference on Tyneside as the Magpies held on to take all three points.

As Saints returned to Premier League 2 action for the first time in two weeks, Dave Horseman made a handful of changes to the side that bowed out of the Papa Johns Trophy last Tuesday.

Ryan Finnigan and Luke Pearce had both received call-ups to the first team squad facing Arsenal in the Premier League, as Zuriel Otseh-Taiwo, Will Armitage, Cam Bragg, and Sam Bellis were all back in the starting line-up.

Both sides came into the game in fine league form, with Newcastle unbeaten in four games whilst Saints had only lost once in six matches.

It was Saints who worked the first chance of the afternoon, as Jack Turner dragged an early effort wide after finding space inside the penalty area.

Just five minutes in, however, the hosts had an early lead.

Some neat footwork from White presented the midfielder with space on the edge of the area and his deflected shot fell perfectly for Stephenson, who curled the ball into the bottom corner with a first-time finish.

As Saints went in search of an equaliser, Sam Amo-Ameyaw did well to beat his man on the right wing but his chipped cross came to nothing.

Newcastle then almost doubled their lead as Westenoorf spurned a guilt-edged chance in the 11th minute, the striker wriggled free of Lawrence and raced toward goal but blazed his shot well over the crossbar.

From there, Saints ramped up the pressure and were denied a goal to cap off a fantastic team move.

Kamari Doyle drifted out to the left wing and found space to cross to the far post where Ballard arrived to intelligently head the ball down to Amo-Ameyaw, who couldn’t find the right connection.

As the loose ball bounced around in the area, Cam Bragg darted in but saw his shot impressively blocked.

Saints could sense an imminent equaliser and their pressure was rewarded in the 18th minute - Ballard continued his goalscoring form as he scored his sixth goal in seven Premier League 2 games.

Otseh-Taiwo was the provider as the full back was released down the right and cut the ball back for Ballard, who swept home past the sprawling goalkeeper.

Horseman’s side were hungry for another goal and utilised the constant threat of Amo-Ameyaw on the right wing to try and find it.

The 16-year-old first had a shot from inside the area tipped away by the ‘keeper, before winning a dangerous free kick, which Doyle fired just over the bar, after a mazy run.

Against the run of play, Newcastle forced a spell of pressure on the half hour mark that Southampton had to remain alert to deal with.

First, a header crashed against the crossbar before a shot from Alex Murphy had to be cleared out of a crowded penalty area.

After withstanding those chances, Saints hit back as they looked for a second goal of their own.

A perfectly weighted ball over the top from Bragg was excellently controlled by Doyle, but his curling shot was saved.

Ballard was next to try his luck as he found space to shoot from a tight angle, winning a corner from his effort.

From the resulting set piece, Saints’ second goal did arrive; an out-swinging delivery from Doyle was met by a towering header from Lawrence, who directed the ball into the bottom corner.

Newcastle’s early lead had been wiped out before the break, and the hosts came out of the blocks strongly in the second half.

Murphy rose highest to meet a corner for the Magpies, but his header was comfortably gathered by Ollie Wright.

They eventually did find their equaliser as the game reached the hour mark; Westenoorf pounced on the ball in Saints’ half and raced through one-on-one, firing a powerful shot past Wright to level the scores again

Both sides traded spells of possession and half chances following the equaliser, each searching for a winner whilst wary of the threat of a counter attack.

With ten minutes remaining, it was Newcastle who took the lead for the second time in the game with a well-struck free-kick.

From 25 yards out, White struck a swerving effort that dipped over Wright’s despairing dive into the top right corner.

With little time to level the scores again, Saints had appeals for a handball in the box waved away followed by two late chances that Ballard couldn’t direct goalwards.

The three points remained in Tyneside as Newcastle moved level on points with Southampton in Premier League 2 Division Two.

Head to Head Stats

• Possession (%)
  47

  53
• Shots
  16

  20
• Shots on target
  7

  6
• Corners
  5

  8
• Passes Complete
  234

  274