SOUTHAMPTON’S under-21s maintained their unbeaten pre-season record with a slender 1-0 win at Eastleigh.
Watched by a crowd of 504 at the Silverlake Stadium, Japanese striker Tadanari Lee – on as a second-half substitute – slotted home the 77th-minute penalty winner.
Saints had several first-team names mixed in with their young guns. Jonathan Forte, Lee Barnard, Billy Sharp and Steve De Ridder were all in the starting eleven along with ex-Eastleigh centre-half Aaron Martin who donned the captain’s armband against his old club.
In Chris Todd’s absence, Eastleigh partnered new signing Chris Dillon, formerly of Christchurch, with Dean Beckwith in central defence.
Summer arrival Yemi Odubade returned on the bench after a side injury, but Damian Scannell was rested again. The Spitfires, among the Conference South favourites, looked the brighter side early on and Ben Strevens appealed in vain for a penalty after racing onto Stuart Fleetwood’s return pass.
With those two combining well again, Saints’ Fraser Colmer just about cleared Strevens’ goalbound shot. Strevens got his head to the subsequent corner but Will Britt safely gathered.
Saints’ first goal attempt took 15 minutes arriving with Belgian De Ridder firing narrowly past Ross Flitney’s right-hand post.
With Eastleigh’s attacking trio of Strevens, Fleetwood and Jai Reason looking sharp and full-back Michael Green bombing on down the left, Saints’ defence was kept occupied and it took brave defending by Dominic Gape to charge down Will Evans’ piledriver.
Fleetwood shot over at one end before Sharp had the ball in the net at the other, but the whistle had been blown for offside. Martin’s big night was ended by injury on 37 minutes with Jason McCarthy replacing him.
Saints were starting to show more urgency, but they got off lightly when Britt failed to hold Evans’ 40-yard blast and then the keeper denied Strevens as he chased Southam’s deft pass behind the defence.
The visitors responded with a tempting Forte cross which Sharp headed just off target to leave it goalless at half-time.
The non-League hosts should have opened the scoring seconds into the second half, but Southam’s shot from Fleetwood’s assist rolled the wrong side of the post.
Saints had brought on Lee, Harry Reed and Matt Targett, while Eastleigh frontman Craig McAllister replaced Dillon with Evans dropping into defence.
Green produced two decent deliveries – one inches too high for Reason and the other hacked away by McCarthy for a corner.
More changes followed with Odubade replacing Fleetwood for the Spitfires and Saints throwing Corby Moore, Jake Sinclair and the prolific Omar Rowe into the fray.
Already with four goals in four pre-season games, Rowe came close in the 72nd minute, running powerfully down the left before unleashing a low cross-shot which skidded past the far upright.
With Sam Wilson replacing hard-working midfielder Jamie Collins, Eastleigh were overloaded with attacking players and began to look stretched at the back.
Saints almost cashed in when Lee stung ex-Saints keeper Jack Dovey’s hands, but they didn’t have to wait long to take the lead.
As sub Harrison Reed scampered through, Beckwith brought him down and, much to the delight of his noisy fan club behind the goal, Lee proved lethal from the spot.
Boss Richard Hill was pleased with Eastleigh’s performance and felt they deserved something from the game.
“We did well in the first half and had a nailed-on penalty turned down – even the ref’s acknowledged it,” he said.
“It’s disappointing we got nothing because we had some good goalscoring opportunities and played some half-decent football.
“Our fitness levels were good and we were still going at the end, but we lost our sharpness a bit in the last 15 minutes which was to be expected because we’d chased the ball for long periods.”
Eastleigh: Ross Flitney (Jack Dovey, 75), Dan Spence (Bradley Doyle, 86), Michael Green (Ryan Fuller, 86), Will Evans, Chris Dillon (Craig McAllister, 46), Dean Beckwith, Jamie Collins (Sam Wilson, 75), Glen Southam, Ben Strevens, Jai Reason, Stuart Fleetwood (Yemi Odubade, 59).
Saints: Will Britt, Matt Young, Fraser Colmer, Joe Curtis (Harry Reed, 46), Aaron Martin (Jason McCarthy,37), Bevis Mugabe (Matt Targett, 46), Jonathan Forte (Corby Moore, 62), Dominic Gape, Lee Barnard (Tadanari Lee, 46), Billy Sharp (Omar Rowe, 62), Steve De Ridder (Jake Sinclair, 62). Subs (not used): Cody Cropper, Ryan Seager, Jamal Branker.
Referee: Justin Amey Attendance: 504
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