Saints stunned as Albion march on

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Albion made it five consecutive wins.

Charlie Hanson

2024-11-01T21:00+00:00

Marcus Ifill's first half brace made it three goals in three Premier League 2 appearances. 📸 by Stuart Martin/Southampton FC.

Our men's under-21s secured a fantastic 4-2 win as they beat Southampton in Premier League 2 on Friday night.

Marcus Ifill's first half brace put Albion in control before a quickfire double early in the second 45 minutes for PL2 Player of the Month nominee Caylan Vickers put the game well out of reach for Saints.

Ifill had spoken in the build up to the game about how hard the team are working for each other and it showed when the former Swindon Town forward put us in front after two minutes.

Cam Peupion won possession from a loose Saints pass and picked out Josh Duffus, who despite excellent goalscoring form opted to play it into Ifill - he showed his composure to find the bottom right corner from an angle.

Marcus Ifill made it 2-0 just before half-time. 📷 by Stuart Martin/Southampton FC.

Vickers would have had a clear run at goal if Ifill’s pass had been as good as his run down the left, but the pass ran straight into the arms of keeper Adli Mohamed, before Peupion thumped over from the right of the box after getting in behind.

With 38 minutes gone Jamie Mullins's terrific bending effort from just outside the box smacked the underside of the crossbar, but Albion would find their second goal of the evening just before half-time.

Vickers combined with Peupion and the latter fizzed in a low cross that Ifill slid in from close for his third goal in as many Premier League 2 games.

Albion celebrate after Caylan Vickers makes it 4-0. 📷 by Stuart Martin/Southampton FC.

A two-goal advantage might have felt assailable for Saints, but within ten minutes of the restart the visitors had doubled the tally for the evening.

Ruairi McConville nodded down for Vickers and the winger coolly volleyed into the bottom left corner, before he got on the end of Imari Samuels's cross to crush any hope the hosts might have had.

Princewill Ehibhatiomhan lashed in from eight yards as Albion failed to clear their lines to pull one back, although the real blow was seeing captain Ruairi McConville having to go off injured with ten minutes to play. It did mean a foray up front for goalkeeper Lorenz Ferdinand, with all of Albion's outfield subs used.

Caylan Vickers's quickfire double put the result beyond doubt. 📷 by Stuart Martin/Southampton FC.

Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh nodded in as the game went into added time to give Southampton something to fight for, with Hugo Fisher forced into a good save at his near-post, but Albion rode out the pressure.

It was another strong performance for Albion though, as they made it five consecutive wins in all competitions. The victory would have put Albion top of the league, were it not for Manchester City's thumping win over Norwich City.

The Albion line-up: Fisher, Tasker (Bashir 69), McConville, Penman (Simmonds 46), Samuels, Albarus (Knight 54), Mullins, Peupion, Vickers, Duffus, Ifill (Howell 46).