U18 Report: Saints 4-2 West Ham

Saints made the perfect start to the contest when goals from Korban McMullan and Nick Oyekunle gave them an early two-goal lead, before West Ham hit back to level the game before half time through Joe Scanlon and Josh Landers,

A strong second half from Saints saw them secure three points as Harry Gathercole netted their third and Oyekunle got his second from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

Saints made an excellent start to the game and an early spell of pressure saw them pin West Ham back in their own area.

The visitors conceded a corner after goalkeeper Lanre Awesu pushed a goalbound deflection wide, and Saints then took a deserved lead when the resulting set-piece was headed down for McMullan to turn home at the back post.

It was soon 2-0 as the confident play from the hosts continued at Staplewood and Oyekunle got his name on the scoresheet with a smart, calm finish across goal from the right side of the box.

Nick Oyekunle's stellar goalscoring form continued. (Photos: Craig Hobbs)

However, West Ham got themselves back in the game against the run of play when Scanlon was played into a shooting position and found the bottom corner by placing left footed past Oscar Abbotson.

The visitors seemed to gain confidence and soon found an equaliser on 27 minutes, when Landers rounded off a fine move by placing home from Gabriel Caliste’s cross.

Saints settled down once more though and had the best of the play before half time; Thierry Rohart-Brown’s snapped effort could have restored the lead prior to the break but the ball flew straight into Awesu's hands.

The beginning to the second half was a tighter contest as both sides looked to gain control and find the important next goal.

West Ham’s second goalscorer Landers was unfortunate to see his charge down of an Oscar Abbotson clearance fly wide, while good play from Saints at the other end saw Oyekunle almost find a shooting chance inside the box.

Andrew Surman’s side then spurned a good chance to go back in front when a move involving Korban McMullan and Sufianu Sillah Dibaga ended with Harry Gathercole striding onto the ball but firing over the crossbar.

Substitute Oliver Newman was next to go close as another neat move saw the ball clipped to the back post, with the Welsh youth international's header denied by an excellent save Awesu.

The pressure from the home side paid off though and, after scoring a hat-trick in the last game at Chelsea, Gathercole continued his streak in front of goal when he skipped through West Ham challenges and fired low into the bottom corner.

West Ham ended the game with a strong spell of their own but Saints saw out the victory well, and sealed the points late on with an Oyekunle penalty - his 25th goal of the season - to move one point ahead of Chelsea at the top of the table.

Saints are back in action on Wednesday 30th April when they travel away to face Reading in their penultimate game of the Under-18s Premier League season, with kick off set for 11am.

Saints: Abbotson, Okunola-Matthews (Adjei-Afriye 90), Dobson-Ventura (c), Moore, Sewell (Goremusandu 75), Martin (Rodda 65), Sillah Dibaga, Rohart-Brown (Newman 65), Oyekunle, McMullan, Gathercole.

Subs not used: Richardson.

Goals: McMullan 6, Oyekunle 14, 90+7 (pen), Gathercole 73.

Yellow Cards: Okunola-Matthews.

West Ham: Awesu, Medine, Scanlon (Halim 81), Kamara, Oyebade, Montague, Unwin (Balogun 79), Hargan, Landers, Caliste (Beckford 65), Sowunmi (Chigwada 79).

Subs not used: Nightingale.

Goals: Scanlon 19, Landers 27.

Yellow Cards: Sowunmi, Oyebade, Montague.