FA Youth Cup Report: West Ham (p) 1-1 Saints
Southampton’s Under-18s were knocked out of the FA Youth Cup on penalties in the third round against last season’s winners, West Ham.
Saints took a deserved lead into half-time as Jay Robinson’s header opened the scoring two minutes before the break.
The hosts responded in the second half and equalised shortly after the restart through Favour Fawunmi.
The intense battle went the distance as the two sides couldn’t be separated in 90 minutes or extra time, and the hosts advanced after winning the shootout.
Saints were bolstered by the inclusion of Under-21s mainstays Sam Amo-Ameyaw, Tyler Dibling, and Jayden Meghoma in the starting lineup, although they also fielded Under-16s duo Harrison Miles and Thierry Rohart-Brown in midfield.
Amo-Ameyaw returned to the Under-18s for the FA Youth Cup. (Photos: Isabelle FIeld)
There was little to separate the sides in the opening exchanges at Rush Green in the rematch of last season’s semi-final, but Saints moved the ball well for a side that rarely play together as a group.
Amo-Ameyaw and Dibling proved themselves to be early threats and both put half-chances over the crossbar with their first sights on goal.
A well-worked attack reached Amo-Ameyaw again on the right soon after, but his curling, low shot was tipped away well by West Ham goalkeeper Fin Herrick.
Saints’ wide man was clearly the main outlet in the first half, and Amo-Ameyaw was denied twice more in quick succession from close range after two similarly well-worked moves from back to front.
Calum McFarlane’s side began to dominate the possession as the first half wore on with Miles next to try his luck, after a confident solo run the youngster’s effort from range drifted over the crossbar.
More excellent build up play led to Rohart-Brown overlapping on the right and crossing into Amo-Ameyaw, whose impressive control and volley was blocked away.
The opening goal looked imminent for Saints and it finally came just before the break, as Amo-Ameyaw this time turned provider with a delivery met by the head of Robinson who nodded in at the far post.
Robinson (R) celebrates his goal.
West Ham came out for the second half firing and found their equaliser within minutes through half-time substitute Fawunmi, who volleyed home on the turn from close range.
Saints then had to weather a storm from the Hammers as fellow half-time introduction Elisha Sowunmi forced Dylan Moody into a near post save, before Fawunmi went close again just after the hour.
After riding out the pressure, Saints swung the game back in their favour as Max Fry saw his shot blocked from a corner that wasn’t cleared by the hosts.
Substitute Will Merry then produced the save of the game from Herrick, who leapt to his right to tip away a shot that was destined for the top corner.
A close range header from Princewill Ehibhatiomhan dropped agonisingly wide in the 75th minute before a period of Saints possession kept control as the minutes ticked away.
With nine minutes of stoppage time approaching, both sides thought they had found a winner; Jayden Moore flicked a header just wide before West Ham’s Josh Ajala broke down the left and cleverly made space in the area only to blaze the ball over.
The final action of normal time saw the hosts denied by a vital stop by Moody, as Saints’ goalkeeper got a leg to Lewis Orford’s unmarked, close range shot to deny a certain winner.
Moody made some important saves throughout.
As in the third round of last season’s competition, Saints headed into extra time with the tension rising - Dibling tested Merrick twice in the first period with shots from range that caused concern.
Barnaby Williams blasted an inviting loose ball wide, before a dramatic final 15 minutes concluded the game.
Saints were denied two penalty shouts, one for a foul on Dibling and one for handball, before Liam Jones and Aston Daley went close at opposing ends.
Moody made yet another important save in the 117th minute, diving to gather a one-on-one shot from Fawunmi.
The final attempt came from range as Jayden Moore strode forward and unleashed a dipping effort that was well held.
However, both sides remained unseparated and penalties were required; Daley and Amo-Ameyaw were the unfortunate Saints pair who missed their spot kicks as West Ham advanced as 4-2 shootout winners.
West Ham: Herrick, Golambeckis, Scarles, Akpata (captain), Briggs, Medine (Sowunmi 46), Orford, Umolu (Fawunmi 46), Rigge (Caliste 86), Ajala (Jones 91).
Subs not used: Abraham, Nwosu, Oyebade.
Goals: Fawunmi 49.
Yellow Cards: Caliste 97, Scarles 103, Medine 108.
Saints: Moody, Williams, Moore, Fry, Meghoma, Miles (Sesay 98), Amo-Ameyaw, Rohart-Brown (Daley 79), Ehibhatiomhan (Oyekunle 75), Dibling (captain), Robinson (Merry 68).
Subs not used: Upstell, Dobson-Ventura, Gomes Rodriguez.
Goals: Robinson 44.
Yellow Cards: Miles 97, Amo-Ameyaw 108, Dibling 120+3.
Penalties
West Ham: Orford, Scarles, Jones, Briggs.
Saints: Dibling, Daley (miss), Sesay, Amo-Ameyaw (miss).
