U18s Report: Arsenal 5-1 Saints

Saints held their own in an even first half, only to fall behind three minutes before the interval when Tyreece John-Jules found the bottom corner with a low drive from 15 yards.

No sooner had the visitors received their half-time words of encouragement than they found themselves 2-0 down, as Zak Swanson slid in at the far post to double Arsenal’s lead.

Saints responded with their best spell of the game. Harlem Hale lobbed just wide from an acute angle, before his well-struck shot was parried away by goalkeeper Joao Virginia.

But Virginia was beaten midway through the second half by Michael Obafemi’s penalty, as the striker sent the keeper the wrong way following a soft decision.

But as Saints pressed for an equaliser, they were undone by a well-worked free kick routine, culminating in captain Danny Ballard heading home the killer third.

Arsenal smelt blood and duly finished off the visitors in clinical fashion, as John-Jules scored his second from the penalty spot, before Bukayo Saka added the gloss with a late fifth.