U21 Report: Saints 5-3 Charlton

Saints moved into an early 2-0 lead after goals from Lewis Payne and Romeo Akachukwu, but Charlton responded through Patrick Casey and Alan Mwamba to take the game to extra time.

The visitors then took the lead in the 103rd minute through Harvey Kedwell, but Saints remained calm and secured their passage to the next round with goals from Cameron Bragg, Princewill Ehibhatiomhan and Brandon Charles in the second period of extra time

Saints join Brentford in the final four, with the remaining semi-final spaces yet to be filled by either West Brom or QPR and Burnley or Chelsea.

Lewis Payne opened the scoring for Saints. (Photos: Craig Hobbs)

The first chance of the game came from Saints as neat build up saw gave Akachukwu an opportunity to shoot on the turn, but his effort flew over the crossbar.

İzzet Furkan Malak was next to go close when he was played in behind the Charlton defence and almost caught visiting goalkeeper Tommy Reid out with an early shot, but the ball dropped the wrong side of the post.

Saints managed to take the lead on 23 minutes though, and it was a clever corner routine that broke the deadlock as Bragg’s low delivery was slotted home by Payne as he met the ball near the penalty spot.

Just three minutes later, the advantage was doubled as a well-worked free-kick gave Akachukwu the chance to fire home a powerful strike into the roof of the net from around 25 yards out.

Despite the best of the play coming from Saints, Charlton earned a way back into the game on the stroke of half time when pressure around the box saw striker Patrick Casey score, with his deflected shot finding the net.

Saints started the second half with good intent and almost stretched their lead when an excellent move from back to front - involving Dylan Moody, Jayden Moore and then Lewis Payne - ended with Akachukwu firing narrowly wide.

Romeo Akachukwu doubled Saints' lead.

However, Charlton found an equaliser in the 64th minute when Ryan Huke’s ball across goal was turned home by Mwamba to level the scores.

The game was finely poised as it moved into its final stages and the visitors almost gained the lead for the first time in the afternoon when a rebound fell nicely to Casey, who sliced his shot high and wide.

Saints then had an opportunity at the other end when the ball was set back for Charles to shoot low across goal, but he was denied by an important clearance off the line.

From that point, both teams had dangerous attacks thwarted as the game became very open in the latter stages, but the tie went to extra time with the scores locked at 2-2 come the full time whistle.

The first Saints chance in extra time saw substitute Will Merry push from his own half to the edge of the Charlton penalty area and send a skidding left-footed shot wide of the far post.

The end-to-end nature of the contest continued though, and Moody had to remain alert in the Saints goal to hold Ibrahim Fullah’s strike from range, before he tipped a shot over superbly in the next attack to deny Reuben Reid.

Moody was beaten before the break though, as Kedwell’s corner delivery flew straight in at the near post to give the visitors a slender lead for the first time in the contest.

The response from Saints in the second period needed to be good, and it was. They levelled the game on 108 minutes when a clipped cross found the unmarked Cameron Bragg to nod home.

Calum McFarlane's side found the net again three minutes later when Ehibhatiomhan showed calmness to shift the ball onto his right foot on the left side of the box, as he curled home a superb strike into the top corner across goal.

Progression to the next round was then finally confirmed when Charles netted a fifth late on to put the game to bed and continue the impressive cup run in style.

Brandon Charles sealed the tie in extra-time.

Saints are back in action on Friday 4th April when they host Blackburn Rovers in Premier League 2, with kick off at St Mary’s Stadium set for 7pm.

Saints: Moody, Payne, Boot (Abu 61), Moore, Kayi Sanda, Bragg (c), Malak (Merry 71), Sesay (Tabares 105), Ehibhatiomhan, Akachukwu (Udoh 90), Larios (Charles 71)

Subs not used: N/A.

Goals: Payne 23, Akachukwu 26, Bragg 108, Ehibhatiomhan 111, Charles 120+1.

Yellow Cards: Kayi Sanda, Boot, Bragg, Abu, Moore.

Charlton: Reid, Hobden (Rylah 65), Laqeretabua, Kedwell, Gough, Toure, Fullah (Hunter 105), Mwamba, Casey (Reid 86), Huke (Sol-Loza 76), Enslin.

Subs not used: Woodham.

Goals: Casey 41, Mwamba 64, Kedwell 103.

Yellow Cards: Toure, Hobden, Enslin, Sol-Loza.