Saints U18 went into today`s game with Stockport U18 in the third round of the FA Youth Cup trying to put last year`s bad memories behind them.
The Game was held at Southamptons training ground Staplewood, it was originally supposed to be played at Stockport Countys home ground Edgley Park but due to a water logged pitch the game was switched.
The match had to be decided on the day and if it ended a draw after 90 minutes then it would go to extra time and possibly penalties.
First Half
So saints U18 had there unexpected Home advantage and they started far the better of the two teams hitting the post within the opening 7 minutes, Jamie White broke down the left and fired a shot against the left post after getting onto a Andrew Giallombardo pass.
Less then a minute later Jake Thompson forced the County keeper into a smart save after some excellent saints passing left him in space for a quick shot.
In the 18th Minute saints U18 hit the post again with Matthew Patterson slamming a shot from the edge of the area, Andrew Giallombardo fired the rebound wide with an open net at his mercy.
Saints continued to dominate the game with Jamie Hatch getting a couple of headers on target
Stockport had a rare chance on 31 minutes when Gregg Tamsey fired a 25 yard free kick just over the bar.
Saints hit the bar for a third time on 37 minutes when Thompson smashed a shot against the bar with a volley from the edge of the area.
Stockport ended the half brightly though and on 42 minutes James Vincent managed to slice a cross onto the top of the saints bar. This was the last action of any consequence in what was a frantic first half of football.
First Half Score = Saints 0 Stockport County 0
Second Half
The first 15 minutes of the second half were pretty poor with both sides seeming quite sluggish in getting re-started. It wasn`t until the 62 minute that the was another chance of note when saints U18 stepped up the pressure and went close twice in quick succession threw Paterson and Thompson.
The two were also involved in the next saint`s chance to on 66 minutes when after playing a nice one-two Thompson hit the post. This was the forth time that Saints had hit the post in the game.
On 72 minutes the saints pressure finally paid diffidence when Thompson took the ball virtually the fall length of the pitch before passing the ball of to Paterson, Paterson then put a pin point cross straight onto the foot of JAMIE HATCH who volleyed it home to make it 1-0 to saints.
Only 2 minutes later saints had an effort cleared of the line from a Paterson shot but the rebound was nodded in by MICHAEL BYRNE to make it 2-0 and put the game beyond Stockport County.
Saints finished the game much as they started it, by hitting the post!! This was the 5th (and Final) time the post was rattled by a saints player with Toti hitting the cross bar from a lob attempt at goal
So saints U18 advance to the fourth round of the FA youth cup, they now face MANCHESTER UNITED next week and after reaching the semi-final last year and the final the year before that, could this be the saints youth year… watch this space
Full Time Score = Saints 2 Stockport County 0
Saints U18 Line Up
Matej Rondos, Ian Jones, Joseph Mills, Michael Byrne, Oliver Lancashire, Jamie Hatch, Aristoles Di Carvalho, Andrew Giallombardo, Matthew Patterson, Jake Thompson, Jamie White
Subs – Kayne Mclaggon, Matthew Renouf, Oscar Gobern, Craig Reid, Toti
Stockport U18 Line Up
Ben Imeson, Jacob Wood, James Tunnicliffe, Gregg Tamsey, Lee Williams, Luca Havern, Ryan Crowther, James Vincent, Chris Coward, Danny Ellis, Tommy Rowe
Subs – Martin Smeton, Jason Astbury, Joshua Bowman, Paul Ennis, Paul Turnbull
Goal Scorers
JAMIE HATCH 72min
MICHAEL BYRNE 75min
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