Atsuki Ito played his first 45 minutes in a Wanderers’ shirt as the U21s got off the mark in the Premier League Cup, writes Pete Oliver.
The summer signing from Belgian outfit Gent featured as an over-age player alongside fellow first-teamer David Watson in the centre of midfield as the Whites earned their first point in Group A of the competition.
Watson’s superbly taken goal early in the second half looked as though it might be enough to give the Whites a fourth straight win and end Southampton’s unbeaten start to the season.
An equaliser 15 minutes from the end from Saints’ winger Harry Gathercole dashed those hopes but didn’t detract from another impressive performance from the young Whites who are quickly finding their feet at a new level.
Julian Darby’s side lost their opening cup game but since then have won three in a row to top the Professional Development League and back at the Toughsheet Community Stadium for the second time in five days matched a Southampton side which plays in Premier League 2 and won 4-0 in their opening group game.
“They’ve got some good, good players and they're an established Category 1 academy. Up to virtually a month ago we were at Category 3, so there's been a huge gulf there,” said Whites’ boss Darby.
“Hopefully, as time goes by, we get up to those standards and we did really well tonight. We were disciplined and determined and when we were brave on the ball and passed it one and two-touch we played some good stuff.
“We had a couple of chances at the end and we could have won it. Am I being greedy? I don't know. But if you don't win, you don't get beat and it just keeps the momentum going.”
Japan international Ito was given the chance to build up his match fitness and helped Wanderers to a dominant first 30 minutes, having a couple of sights of goal from well-timed runs and picking out some decent passes.
The busy Watson also clipped a shot just over the top and Toby Ritchie saw an effort well saved by Saints’ keeper Dylan Moody as the Whites – despite missing injured winger Max Lott – looked to build on their fine start to the season.
Southampton had been kept at bay but finished the first half strongly and it took an oustanding block from the excellent Emile Oliver to deny Brandon Charles after Luke Hutchinson had saved from the dangerous Gathercole before Luke Hawe nodded wide at the far post.
Wanderers saw less of the ball after the break but worked tirelessly to restrict their opponents’ opportunities and also made openings of their own, going in front when Ritchie and Watson combined to open up the Saints’ defence.
Watson still had plenty to do when collecting Ritchie’s pass on the edge of the box but showed great composure to find the time and space to calmy slot the ball into the bottom corner of the net to break the deadlock.
It was then a case of whether one goal would be enough as Southampton – coached by ex-England international Adam Lallana – hunted down an equaliser.
It came with 15 minutes to go as the pace of substitute Sufianu Dibaga finally found a way through Wanderers’ defence and Gathercole met the winger’s pull-back with a firmly-struck finish.
That wasn’t the end for the Whites, though, as both sides had chances to win it. Youth-teamer Sonny Coyne steered an effort wide when running through on goal and it would have been cruel on Wanderers if Southampton had made more of their late opening, Dibaga hitting a post with just a few minutes to go.
Wanderers’ next game in the group stage of the competition sees them go to Blackburn Rovers on Monday, 12th October, with their next league fixture a trip to Millwall on Tuesday, 15th September.
Wanderers: Hutchinson; Wilkinson, Paye, O’Neill, Oliver; Leigh (Kirkpatrick 77), Ito (Irwin HT), Watson, Lewis (Clement 83); Ritchie; Lawrence (Coyne 77). Substitutes: Lomax, Evans, Quirk.
Booked: Watson, Leigh
Southampton: Moody; Whittaker, Sanda, Anderson, Gbajumo; Charles, Kakay, McMullan, Gathercole; Hawe, Bailey. Substitutes: Adjei-Afriyie, Clark, Daley, Day, Little, Dibaga.
Booked: None
Referee: Declan Brown