Our under-18s were beaten 1-0 by Southampton in a tightly contested U18 Premier League South game at the Staplewood Training Ground.
A first half of few chances saw Jack Talbot make a brilliant save to deny Thierry Ruhart-Brown, before Kyran Thompson hit the post at the other end.
But Ruhart-Brown wasn’t to be denied after the break, reacting fastest to a loose ball after Jude Daniels had hit the crossbar to score the winner for the hosts.
### What happened
After a slow start to the game, we almost took the lead 15 minutes into the contest when Emerson Nwaneri raced in on goal but dragged his effort across goal and wide.
Southampton goalkeeper George Moloney made a crucial save just a few minutes later, stopping a dangerous cross from Kyran Thompson reaching Nwaneri in front of goal.
The Saints came into the game after the half hour mark and came close to an opening goal, but Thierry Rohart-Brown’s effort from the edge of the area was well saved by Jack Talbot.
But it was our young Gunners who came closest to getting the opener before the break with Thompson’s effort from 20 yards striking the post.
The Saints started brightly after the restart and made their pressure count five minutes into the half when Ruhart-Brown converted the rebound after Daniels had struck the crossbar.
With 20 minutes to play, the game was paused after a serious injury to Southampton forward Korban McCullan, who had to be taken off on a stretcher.
After the delay, we quickly forced an opportunity when Thompson picked out Mishel Nduka in the penalty area. The midfielder’s cross was blocked, prompting claims for handball, but the referee waived our appeals away.
With three minutes of normal time to play, Saints substitute Luke Hawe found himself one-on-one with Talbot, only for our goalkeeper to pull out an excellent stop to keep us in the game.
We had a chance to equalise in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Marciniak played Nwaneri in on goal, but the forward’s effort cleared the crossbar and the hosts held out to take the points.
### What It Means
Defeat on the South Coast means our under-18s must wait for their first victory of 2026.
### What’s Next
Our under-18s face Chelsea away from home in our first London derby of 2026 on Saturday, February 7.
Kick-off at Cobham Training Centre is scheduled for 11am (UK).
### Line-Ups
**Southampton XI**: Moloney, Sainsbury (Rodda, 64’), Vallance, Day (Sewell, 46’), Goremusandu, Nutter, Duffy, Rohart-Brown, Daniels (Hawe, 78’), McMullan (Newman, 74’), Gathercole
Subs (not used): Abbotson
**Arsenal XI**: Talbot, Hamill, Pedro, Onyekachukwu, Mbala (Stachow, 60’), Murisa, Nouka, Hashi (Sesay, 66’), Thompson (Frohock, 84’), Nwaneri, Marciniak
Subs (not used): Owusu-Gyasi, Lupinski
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