U23s Reach PL Cup Quarter-Finals In Southampton

First half headers from Josh Gordon and Sam Hughes were added upon by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and George Thomas efforts later on in Staplewood to secure safe passage into the last-eight.

Lamine Kaba Sherif was the only player to make way from the starting XI following City’s 3-1 defeat at Swansea City in Premier League 2 Division 1 on Monday, replaced by Alex Pascanu.

Intent on making amends for that reverse in south Wales, the table-topping visitors emerged from the tunnel in a bullish mood, dominating the possession stats in the early exchanges.

A first attempt on goal, in the 11th minute, yielded their maiden goal of the night as Connor Wood’s cross landed perfectly for Gordon to head it across Kingsley Latham's goal and into his net.

The hosts were clearly aggrieved. Eight minutes later, the Saints marched up field and Michael Obafemi forced Max Bramley into a fingertip save, but the Irishman had strayed offside.

When Dewsbury-Hall conceded a free-kick in a dangerous location, Callum Slattery floated it in, allowing Aaron O’Driscoll to nod it goalwards. Bramley, though, tipped it over the bar.

With seconds to spare in the first half, the Foxes doubled their lead as Hughes broke free of his man to cushion Dewsbury-Hall’s pin-perfect corner in at the near post.

The Saints, playing under the watchful eye of new first team manager Mark Hughes, made a double substitution at the break and one of their new faces almost made an immediate impact.

Will Smallbone, a replacement for Thomas O’Connor, ran at City’s backline before lashing it at goal, requiring Bramley to make an outstanding stop down at his right-hand post.

Dewsbury-Hall, who signed his first professional contract with the Club last summer, was impressing in midfield and his reward came in the 59th minute as a pass from the right wing landed at his feet.

The Academy product spun on the spot, evading both Jake Volkins and Armani Little, before locating the bottom corner with a smart finish from 18 yards to make it 3-0 to the Foxes.

With just under 20 minutes to go, another Wood delivery caused havoc in the Saints box and a downward header from Hughes whistled just wide.

There was also a significant moment to come for Admiral Muskwe, who returned to Development Squad action from the bench following a lengthy spell out through injury.

Into added time at the end of the second half, meanwhile, Thomas pounced to complete a successful night for the Foxes, adding their fourth with almost the final kick of the game.

Major moment

Scoring so close to the half-time break, just as Swansea had done on Monday, appeared to deflate their hosts and send City on course to a morale-boosting victory on the south coast.

Sam Hughes is proving to be an irreplaceable figure for the Development Squad this term and it was the former Chester man who put this clash firmly in their control.

Where does it leave us?

The Foxes are in the hat for the quarter-finals draw for the first time since the competition’s formation, which will take place later this month.

Coming up…

City have a whole month to prepare for their penultimate outing in Premier League 2, a trip to Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on Sunday 15 April (12pm kick-off).

The details…

Southampton: Latham, Rowthorn, Vokins, Little, Jones (c), O’Driscoll, Tella (Olomola 45), O’Connor (Smallbone 45), Obafemi, Slattery, Johnson

Subs not used: Klarer, Parkes, Mdlalose

City: Bramley, Johnson, Pascanu, Knight (Kaba Sherif 84), Wood, Choudhury (c), Hughes, Dewsbury-Hall (Eppiah 70), Barnes, Gordon (Muskwe 75), Thomas

Subs not used: Stolarczyk, Martis

Goals: Gordon 11, Hughes 45, Dewsbury-Hall 59, Thomas 90+1

Referee: Adrien Quelch

Image: James Bridle