U18 Report: Crystal Palace 5-0 Saints
Southampton Under-18s fell to a 5-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on the opening day of their 2023/24 season in the Under-18s Premier League.
Two Palace goals from David Abou and Jesse Derry put them ahead before half-time and a late hat-trick from Zach Marsh completed the scoring.
Saints went close with good chances for Nick Oyekunle and Barnaby Williams, but were dealt a late blow when Tommy Dobson-Ventura was sent off for two bookable offences.
Saints almost took the lead early on when Will Merry’s low cross was collected by Oyekunle in a central position in the box, but his shot on the swivel was well blocked by a Palace body.
The hosts' first real chance to test Saints goalkeeper Josh Jeffries came as the game passed the 20-minute mark; Marsh went through on goal and looked to turn low into the corner, but Jeffries got down well to smother the effort.
After a spell where both teams were competing to gain control of proceedings, a Palace break saw them take the lead when Obou was played into the box on the left and slid home a neat finish across goal.
Shortly before half-time, the home side made it 2-0 when Derry latched onto a good ball across goal from striker Marsh and squeezed his shot beyond Jeffries.
Into the second period, Jay Robinson tested home goalkeeper William Eastwood with a shot on target but his powerful left-footed strike was easily dealt with.
Crystal Palace then had a good chance to add to their lead when substitute Zack Henry took a through ball in his stride but couldn’t force his eventual shot past Jeffries, who made an important save.
Saints then very nearly halved the deficit as a flowing move saw them create perhaps their best opening of the contest.
Play moved through Harrison Miles in midfield and onto Williams, who then saw his low shot well saved after exchanging passes with Robinson.
Substitute Moses Sesay also forced a save when he hit a first-time effort from just outside the area that was palmed to safety.
However, Palace did manage to find the net for the third time after they won a late penalty.
A weaving run from Hindolo Mustapha saw the midfielder taken down in the area by Dobson-Ventura, resulting in the Saints man's second yellow card as he was sent off before Marsh calmly rolled the penalty home.
Marsh was also on hand to make it 4-0 in the 87th minute when he deflected Henry’s fierce ball in from close-range, before the striker completed his hat-trick by providing the finishing touch to the last attack of the game.
Saints will look to bounce back when they are back in action on Saturday 19th August against Aston Villa at Staplewood, with kick-off at 12pm.
Crystal Palace: Eastwood, Whyte, Cardines (Adams-Collman 45), Dashi (Redhead 80), Grante, Jemide, Obou, Austin, Marsh, Mustapha (Henry 45), Derry.
Subs not used: Hill, King.
Goals: Obou 40, Derry 45+1, Marsh 79 (pen), 87, 90.
Yellow cards: Mustapha 70.
Saints: Jeffries, Evans, Moore, Miles (Sesay 63), Dobson-Ventura, Sheaf, Andrews, Williams, Oyekunle (Pitts 69), Robinson (Edmondson 82), Merry.
Subs not used: Richardson, Sillah Dibaga.
Yellow cards: Miles 33, Dobson-Ventura 75.
Red cards: Dobson-Ventura 78.
