U18 Report: Reading 5-3 Saints
Southampton Under-18s continued their Premier League Cup campaign with a 5-3 defeat against Reading on Saturday afternoon.
A hat-trick from striker Joseph Barough and further goals from Jerae Jones and Kiyan Smith saw the result go in Reading’s favour.
Saints’ goals came via a brace from winger Will Merry and a late strike from Josh Pitts in reply.
Saints made the perfect start when they took the lead in the fourth minute as Merry’s strike from outside the box looped into the far corner of the net.
However, Reading struck back quickly when a break down the right saw Emmanuel Osho produce a low cross for Barough to finish expertly from a central position in the box.
A Jay Robinson free-kick delivery then created another opportunity for Saints midway through the first-half, but his cross was headed straight at the goalkeeper by Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez
Will Merry opened the scoring. (Photos: Craig Hobbs)
Two good chances then fell the way of Reading as they searched for a second themselves.
An excellent save by Saints’ Dylan Moody prevented Shay Spencer’s close-range header from finding the net, before goalscorer Barough fired an effort well over from the resulting corner.
Barough was not to be denied his second for long though and duly dispatched into the far corner on 34 minutes after a loose ball had fallen to him in the area.
The last action of the first period saw a deep cross from Robinson almost find Merry at the back post, but the ball rebounded off the Saints man and away for a goal kick.
There was a dramatic start to the second-half with two goals within two minutes of the restart.
A driving run and finish from Saints winger Merry levelled the scores but Reading’s next attack saw Barough complete his hat-trick by turning home a cutback to the six-yard line.
Saints were then dealt a blow when the referee deemed Abdulhalim Okonola-Matthews to have stopped a Reading attack as last man, and the defender was subsequently shown a straight red card.
The hosts found the net again to make it 4-2 in the 69th minute as substitute Jones bundled home a bouncing ball across the box.
Despite being a man down, a good spell in possession from Saints saw them pull a goal back when Pitts rifled in at the near post.
But, it was Reading who held on to claim their win and they were able to add their fifth goal of the contest as Smith broke beyond the Saints backline and slid home.
Saints are in action again on Saturday 28th October when they travel away to face to Leicester City, with kick-off at 1pm in the Under-18 Premier League.
Reading: Rhone, Ahmed, Field, Spencer (Goulding 86), Duah, Beacroft, Osho (Timberlake 77), Sackey, Barough (Howard 65), Harris (Jones 75), Smith
Subs not used: Sharlott.
Goals: Barough 13, 34, 47, Jones 69, Smith 90+2.
Yellow cards: Duah 16, Spencer 58.
Saints: Moody, Williams, Okonola-Matthews, Dobson-Ventura (c), Sheaf, Miles, Gomes Rodriguez (Pitts 73), Robinson, Oyekunle, Andrew’s (Sesay 73), Merry.
Subs not used: Upstell, Fry, Daley.
Goals: Merry 4, 46, Pitts 84.
Yellow cards: Gomes Rodriguez 27, Robinson 58.
Red cards: Okonola-Matthews 61.
