---
title: "Saints youngsters dealt late blow by Seagulls"
canonical: "https://readsouthampton.com/2015/10/11/saints-youngsters-dealt-late-blow-seagulls/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Osman"
section: "Academy"
published: "2015-10-11T10:29:29Z"
modified: "2015-10-11T10:29:29Z"
---

# Saints youngsters dealt late blow by Seagulls

Southampton under 18’s suffered a late blow in their match against Brighton as George Cox fired in a low free kick to level the scoring at 3-3.

The Saints went a goal down within just two minutes, as Brighton captain Jordan Maguire-Drew powered in a header to give Brighton an early advantage. However, Southampton U18’s equalled the scoring after a goal from Tyreke Johnson just two minutes after Brighton had opened the scoring. Johnson brought the ball down on the half volley on the left hand side and drilled a brilliant finish into the Brighton net.

6 minutes later, Southampton grabbed another early goal, with Thomas O’Connor making the score 2-1, 10 minutes in to the game. O’Connor got on the end of a looping corner into the Brighton penalty area and calmly tucked his header into the left hand side of the goal, giving Saints the advantage.

Craig Fleming’s men responded brilliantly to the early setback, as they increased their advantage over Brighton just before the half-hour mark. Harley Willard managed to smash home Southampton’s third after he pulled away from the Brighton defence to finish from close range.

After half-time, Brighton applied far more pressure, and their efforts paid off as Maguire-Drew bagged his second of the game in the 57th minute after the Brighton skipper converted a close range volley past Jake Hallett.

However, things fell apart for the under 18’s 5 minutes from time, as Alfie Jones was given a straight red after an off the ball incident, giving Brighton a free kick on the edge of the box; and Brighton made The Saints pay.

George Cox stepped up to take the free-kick 87 minutes into the game, and converted into the bottom right corner past Hallett who had no chance, to complete a hard-earned comeback for the Seagulls; in the process of giving Saints late heartbreak.

Under 18’s manager Craig Fleming had this to say after the match: “3-1 up playing really well, probably as well as we’ve played this season and should have been four, five, six because at three we’ve had three or four really good chances that need to be taken and the game is dead, and then we just lost our shape a bit second half”.

Fleming added, “When you start thinking about the results you can stop thinking about the learning process of the game. Lots and lots of positives, but probably equally, if not, as many bits that we need to for the team need to liven up on and sharpen up on.

“The sending off didn’t help things, but all in all as a learning process lots of positives and lots of things to learn. I’ve said it all season long, and without wanting to sound like a broken record, results are most definitely important for everybody involved with football from tots to the first team we want to win games.”

The young guns at Southampton FC must keep working to improve to reach the heights of some of the former stars that have stemmed from the academy; but they must first hope to break in to Martin Hunter’s plans for the under 21 side.

How many of the current under 18’s/under 21’s squad do you see becoming key senior players for Southampton, and if so; who?