U18 Report: Saints 5-1 West Brom
Southampton Under-18s claimed second consecutive 5-1 win as they beat West Bromwich Albion to move top of the Under-18s Premier League.
Saints led 4-0 at half time after a stunning start thanks to goals from Korban McMullan and Nick Oyekunle, either side of a Harry Gathercole brace.
Sufianu Sillah Dibaga netted the fifth of the evening in the second half, with West Brom only able to respond through Divine Onyemachi in stoppage time.
Saints started the game brightly, with several early breaks forward looking dangerous until the final action.
The hosts stayed calm and duly got their reward when they took the lead on 11 minutes through McMullan, who turned home Sillah Dibaga’s cutback to the six-yard line.
Their advantage was then doubled in the next attack when McMullan turned provider, when he hooked a cross to the back post for Gathercole to sweep home confidently first time.
Korban McMullan notched an early goal and assist. (Photo: Chris Moorhouse)
A dominant opening period for Andrew Surman’s side saw them make it 3-0 before the first half had reached its midway point.
More good play in midfield saw Gathercole given possession on the left and, having shifted the ball onto his right foot, he found the net again by squeezing a shot under West Brom's Trialist goalkeeper.
A fourth goal arrived on the half hour mark and it was Saints' top scorer Oyekunle who added his name to the scoresheet when he muscled his way past a challenge in the area and slotted home calmly.
Early in the second half, West Brom looked for a lifeline in the contest and Ryan Colesby could have reduced the deficit when he seized on a loose pass in the box but saw his shot well blocked by a retreating Saints body.
Saints soon settled back into proceedings though, and only a good save from Trialist A in goal stopped Oyekunle adding to the advantage soon after.
The fifth goal did soon arrive shortly after the hour though and it was a spectacular one, if a little fortuitous for Sillah Dibaga.
A corner was played short to the winger on the edge of the penalty area and his dinked ball into the danger zone drifted over everyone and into the far corner of the net, with the visitors taken by surprise by the flight of the ball.
A late consolation for West Brom came courtesy of Onyemachi, but Saints saw out their win well with a controlled display in the second period as they returned to the top of the league table.
Saints are back in action on Saturday 12th April when they travel away to face Chelsea in the Under-18 Premier League, with kick off set for 11am.
Saints: Abbotson, Adjei-Afriye (Frederick 85), Dobson-Ventura (c), Okunola-Matthews, Trialist, Williams (Goremusandu 70), Sillah Dibaga, Daley, Oyekunle, McMullan (Martin 61), Gathercole (Newman 84).
Subs not used: Richardson.
Goals: McMullan 11, Gathercole 13, 19, Oyekunle 30, Sillah Dibaga 64.
Yellow Cards: McMullan, Trialist.
West Brom: Trialist A, Maughan, Trialist B (Okorodudu 70), Gompe, Morrish, Dupont, McDonald, Colesby (Letlat 70), Trialist C (Adubu 45), Trialist D (Francis-Caesar 52), Onyemachi.
Subs not used: Brady.
Goals: Onyemachi 90+2.
Yellow Cards: Colesby, Dupont.
