U21 Report: Saints 4-1 Fleetwood

Saints held a 2-1 lead at half time after first half goals from Jay Robinson and Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh, either side of an equaliser from Crispin McLean.

Simon Rusk’s side were made to work hard for more goals in the second half by their determined opponents, but a late double arrived in stoppage-time via Will Merry and Prince Ehibhatiomhan.

Saints got the ball down and controlled possession well in the early stages at Staplewood, and the early pressure that they built led to the opening goal in the seventh minute.

A loose ball rolled kindly into Robinson’s path in a left-sided position in the box, and he was able to force his shot home inside the near post.

It was almost two with 20 minutes on the clock when a measured ball over the top of the Fleetwood defence found Ehibhatiomhan’s run, but the striker’s fierce shot flew into the side-netting on the wrong side of the post.

Fleetwood settled into the game well though and gave Saints a warning shortly afterwards when Zak Littler flicked a header narrowly wide from a whipped cross.

Jay Robinson opened the scoring. (Photos: Craig Hobbs)

A long, unfortunate delay to the first half then came when Littler was forced off, with what looked a serious injury for the visitors.

Once the game restarted, it was Saints who went close to doubling their lead when forward Rory MacLeod looked to shape a left-footed effort into the far corner, but the ball flew agonisingly wide of the far post.

However, the visitors hit back again and this time levelled the contest up when McLean rifled home after striding onto a loose ball.

Further chances came and went for both sides towards the end of the first period, with Fleetwood striker Owen Devonport firing wide at the near post before Ehibhatiomhan hit the bar.

It was Saints who gained the lead again with the last attack before half time though, when O’Brien-Whitmarsh's shot from Juan Larios’ cutback looped into the far corner beyond a helpless Fleetwood goalkeeper.

O'Brien-Whitmarsh doubled the lead before the break.

In the second half, Fleetwood made it difficult for Saints to play with their strong structure through the middle of the pitch, and it took until the hour mark for Saints to have their next chance; substitute Brook Myers ended his run with a shot that rose over the bar.

Merry also went close to adding a third for the hosts at Staplewood when he placed a shot just wide having worked an angle inside the left of the penalty area, before Myers went close again.

Saints stuck to their task and grabbed two more goals late on, with a double salvo in stoppage time sealing all three points.

Both Merry and Ehibhatiomhan benefitted from breakaways at the end and finished calmly to confirm a 4-1 victory for Saints in their second Premier League Cup fixture of the campaign.

Saints: Lumley, Abu, Larios (Tabares 74), Edwards, Stephens, Buck (Charles 45+9), Merry, O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Ehibhatiomhan, MacLeod (Myers 60), Robinson (Moore 75).

Subs not used: Armitage.

Goals: Robinson 7, O'Brien-Whitmarsh 45+19, Merry 90+4, Ehibhatiomhan 90+5.

Yellow Cards: Larios, Abu.

Fleetwood: Hewitson, Cirino, Mansfield (Trialist B 9), Smith, Oliver, Haughey, Francis, Littler (Wilkinson 35), Devonport, McLean, Roberts.

Subs not used: Donaghy, Trialist A, Higgins.

Goals: McLean 45+1.

Yellow Cards: Cirino, Smith, Devonport.