U18s report: Southampton 2-5 Arsenal

Adam Birchall’s under-18s produced an outstanding attacking display to beat Southampton 5 - 2 in the Under-18s Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Despite going a goal down to Korban McMullen’s strike, we were level through Dan Casey before half-time.

Casey scored two more after the break to complete his hat-trick, before setting up Louis Zecevic-John to make it 4 - 1.

Southampton did pull a goal back from a set piece, but we rounded off the win with a stoppage time volley from Alex Marciniak.

What happened

The first fifteen minutes were uneventful on the South Coast, but a clinical ball from Hansel Adjei-Afriyie opened us up and allowed McMullen to slot home from the first chance of the game.

It didn’t take us long to respond however; Louis Zecevic-John won the ball back on the halfway line and charged forward, setting up Casey to score from close range.

The Saints almost restored their lead four minutes after the break when Tino Goremusandu headed just wide from a corner.

A minute later, James Martin forced a good save from Jack Talbot and we did well to clear the rebound.

This pressure sparked us into life and we raced down the other end to take the lead seven minutes into the second half. Daniel Oyetunde made a great run into the penalty area and set up Casey, who netted his second of the afternoon.

Casey got his hat-trick twenty minutes later, placing a precise shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area after a flowing move.

Just three minutes after completing his hat-trick, Casey played an excellent ball to Louis Zecevic-John, who beat his man and rifled the ball into the back of the net to make it four.

Southampton did pull a goal back when Tommy Dobson-Ventura headed home from a free-kick four minutes from time.

But we weren’t finished ourselves; Alex Marciniak scored a fine volley in stoppage time from Louis Zecevic-John’s cross to complete a wonderful afternoon.

What It Means

An emphatic win takes us up to seventh in the Under-18s Premier League South, with 19 points from our 12 league games.

What’s Next

Our under-18s are back in under-18s Premier League action on Saturday, February 22 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Kick-off at Sobha Realty Training Centre is scheduled for 12pm (UK time).

Line-Ups

Southampton XI: Abbottson, Adjei-Afriyie (Trialist, 73), Dobson-Ventura, Okonola-Matthews, Sheaf (Emsden-James, 73), Martin (Harrington, 63), Goremusandu, McMullen, Newman (Daley, 45), Gathercole, Dibaga

Subs (not used): Upstell

Arsenal XI: Talbot, Murisa, Clarke, Chapman, Ogunnaike, Ibrahim, Copley, Casey (Marciniak, 80), Zecevic-John, Oyetunde (Onyekachukwu, 55), Bailey-Joseph (Hashi, 80)

Subs (not used): Tomlin, Stachow