Southampton 2-2 Ipswich Town
The FA Youth Cup Final, First Leg
St. Mary's Stadium
18 April 2005

Southampton and Ipswich Town have drawn 2-2 in the first leg of The FA Youth Cup Final at St. Mary's.

The home side started the first leg of this FA Youth Cup Final as the clear favourites and early on they showed the kind of form that has seen them dominate the U18s season.

Theo Walcott stretched the visitor's defence with a powerful run down the right wing before he cut into the area. He tried to slide the ball in to Leon Best's feet at the near post but under pressure from Collins the Saints' striker was unable to turn it goalwards.

However at the other end Ipswich showed just why they have reached their first Final for 30 years when Liam Trotter ran at goal from midfield. The chance came to nothing though as the visitors struggled in the final third of the pitch.

On 15 minutes, Southampton opened up Ipswich for the first time as England Under-17 international Walcott got on the end of Lloyd James' long pass forward.

Shane Supple in the Ipswich goal was alert to the danger and he gathered the ball quickly after Walcott's touch was a little heavy.

Ipswich then created their best chance of the half. After some slick one touch passing play in the build-up, Cathal Lordan picked out his Darryl Knights' angled run with a clever through ball and he broke into the area from the left-wing only for Andrew McNeil got down well to smother the danger.

As the game opened up, suddenly there were chances at both ends. Walcott finished brilliantly from Leon Best's cross but the effort was disallowed for offside and Ipswich nearly capitalised on that when Liam Craig's volley flew just wide of McNeil's goal.

Saints responded well and threatened through Walcott and then McGoldrick who couldn't quite find Best who had taken up an excellent position further forward.

Southampton were by now in control of the match and moments later Walcott should have put them ahead.

Tim Sparv knocked the ball down for him in a crowded six yard box and although he connected with his shot well, Supple got down to save.

From the edge of their own penalty area, Southampton broke away and Sparv's headed flick found David McGoldrick who put Theo Walcott away through the inside left channel.

The England U17 international ran into the area before being fouled by Aidan Collins which saw referee Mariner give Saints a spot kick.

McGoldrick stepped up to take the penalty and the striker confidently sent Ipswich goalkeeper Shane Supple the wrong way as he finished into the bottom left hand corner.

The Southampton lead did not last long, though, as Cathal Lordan received the ball in a deep position.

The midfielder controlled the ball, took a quick look at Andrew McNeil's goal and hit a superb shot straight into the top right hand corner of the goal.

Suddenly Ipswich were playing much the better football and they took the lead with Lordan again finding a way past McNeil.

England U17 forward Knights found space on he left of the Saints penalty area and he squared the ball across the face of goal to pick out Lordan who had made an excellent angled run from deep.

The onus was now on Southampton, who desperately needed a goal from somewhere and, right on cue, Leon Best came to the rescue in the 62nd minute.

McGoldrick picked out Walcott's diagonal run from the left-wing with a nice through ball. The flying 16-year-old winger might have finished the chance himself but Supple was off his line quickly to save at his feet.

The ball broke free however and from the floor Walcott tried to hook it goalwards only to be denied by a good tackle from Collins.

It ricocheted back to Best on the edge of the area and after taking a touch to work an angle for himself he turned it home with a well-placed finish.

Saints now went in search of an aggregate lead to take to the second leg at Portman Road on Friday night. McGoldrick drew a good save from Supple with a fierce left-footed drive and Sparv's volley was charged down by Chris Casement.

In the final minute McGoldrick fired over from 25 yards when the ball dropped kindly for him and Southampton will have to settle for a draw and everything to play for in the second leg at Portman Road on Friday evening.

Team Details: Southampton v Ipswich Town

Southampton: Andrew McNeil, Craig Richards, Sean Rudd, Martin Cranie, Sebastian Wallis-Tayler, Lloyd James, Tim Sparv, Theo Walcott, Nathan Dyer, Leon Best (Feliciano Condesso, 83), David McGoldrick.
Subs not used: Josh Dutton-Black, Ashlee Jones, Gareth Bale, Adam Lallana.

Ipswich Town: Shane Supple, Sammy Moore, Michael Synott (Danny Haynes, 63), James Krause, Chris Casement, Aidan Collins, Cathal Lordan, Liam Trotter (Charlie Sheringham, 90), Darryl Knights (Blair Hammond, 85), Owen Garvan, Liam Craig.
Subs not used: Andy Reynolds, Stuart Ainsley.

All photographs are used with the kind permission of Paul Watts and Southampton FC.