Premier League 2

Southampton U21 2 (Gathercole 35’, Daley 41’)

Leeds United U21 1 (Chadwick pen 90’)

Southampton: Fisher (GK), Moore, Okunola, Sesay, Rohart-Brown, Daley, Gathercole, Merry, O'Brien-Whitmarsh (Nutter 26’) (McMullan 90’), Kayi Sanda (C), Kakay (Adjei-Afriyie 66’). Subs not used: Tabares, Whittaker.

Leeds: Cook (GK), Dudley, Lienou (Philpott 42’), Pickles, Howard (Whitehead 73’), Matykiewicz, Cresswell (C), Crew, Mills, Ibrovic-Fletcher (Njinko 61’), Chadwick. Subs not used: Kenyon (GK), Alker.

Venue: Silverlake Stadium

Referee: Paul Johnson

Booked: Kakay, Okunola (Southampton) Howard, Mills (Leeds)

Leeds United Under-21s fell to defeat in the Premier League 2 despite Rhys Chadwick’s second-half penalty against Southampton Under-21s at the Silverlake Stadium.

Two goals down heading into the closing stages, the midfielder’s second goal in as many games sparked hopes of a late comeback but it wasn’t to be for the Whites.

Ahead of kick off on a warm spring evening on the south coast, boss Scott Gardner had made two changes to the side that beat Spurs last time out, welcoming Louie Dudley and Callum Mills into a youthful starting XI.

After an attritional opening in Eastleigh, which saw chances limited to a brief sight of goal for Chadwick that was charged down by a red and white shirt, play began to grow more open after 20 minutes.

A Jayden Lienou floated pass over the top almost found Mills but ran through to Saints goalkeeper Hugo Fisher before, down the other end, Robbie Cook produced a fine diving save to deny a powerful Thierry Rohart-Brown drive from distance.

The hosts took the lead in bizarre circumstances after an in-direct free-kick awarded was eventually turned in by Harry Gathercole, firing through several blue shirts on the line.

One almost became two shortly afterwards as Rohart-Brown turned inside the area and curled wide of the upright but the hosts weren’t to be denied again, doubling their advantage before the break through Aston Daley’s close-range finish.

Looking to halve the deficit prior to the half-time whistle, a quick move down the left involving substitute Louie Philpott and Chadwick resulted in the latter almost catching Fisher out at his near post though the stopper did well to gather.

HALF TIME: Southampton U21 2-0 Leeds United U21

Play got back underway in Hampshire with the Whites unchanged and searching for a route back into what was a physical PL2 clash.

Gardner’s team started the second period brightly and Philpott linked up with Alfie Cresswell, releasing the skipper into the area who saw a dangerous low delivery hacked behind by the retreating Joachim Kayi Sanda.

From the resulting corner, the ball was worked short once more to Cresswell yet, 20 yards from goal, the midfielder was unable to call Fisher into action.

The pressure was mounting as United pressed with an electric tempo. Southampton did well to prevent Cresswell from marauding into a shooting position before a second change of the evening introduced attacker Carrick Njinko into the action.

The Whites would have got a goal back if not for an impressive Fisher save. Chadwick cut in from the left and drilled towards the bottom corner, forcing the keeper to get down well at his near post to intervene.

After a Charlie Crew shot was deflected behind, Cresswell again tested Fisher rising highest to meet the set piece with Leeds firmly knocking on the hosts’ door.

The home side still offered a threat on the break, however, and Cook reacted impressively to save Walter Nutter’s low strike with an outstretched boot.

With Leeds sending more bodies forward in the closing stages, Southampton had chances to extend their lead. Cook, firstly, did brilliantly to acrobatically tip Jayden Moore’s header over with Daley then glancing wide of the far post and Philpott recovering to dispossess Will Merry in the area.

The Whites finally reduced the arrears in stoppage time through Chadwick’s late penalty, hammered beyond Fisher, but hopes of a dramatic comeback were extinguished by Paul Johnson’s full-time whistle.

United will be back in Premier League 2 action after the international break when they host rivals Manchester United on Good Friday at Thorp Arch.

FULL TIME: Southampton U21 2-1 Leeds United U21