Two of Saints’ on-loan defenders enjoyed a successful week as Jack Stephens started his first games for AFC Bournemouth, whilst Will Tizzard scored his first senior goal. All this and more in this week’s Loan Watch…
Stephens made two successive starts for the Cherries as they recorded back-to-back wins over Everton before the World Cup break, with Saints’ centre-back playing 90 minutes in the 4-1 win in Carabao Cup and the 3-0 win in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the football pyramid, Southampton B team defender Tizzard returned from injury and suspension to score his first goal for National League South side, Chippenham Town.
The 20-year-old opened the scoring in the Bluebirds’ 1-1 draw away to Dover Athletic, poking a loose ball home from inside the area.
This came a week after Chippenham recorded a shock 1-0 win over League One side Lincoln City in the Emirates FA Cup First Round.
Despite Tizzard not being available to play in that game, he joined the jubilant celebrations and will have a chance to feature against another League One side, Burton Albion, in the Second Round.
In the SkyBet Championship, Will Smallbone and Nathan Tella have continued their development with Stoke City and Burnley respectively.
Smallbone endured a mixed start to the month, with two wins and two defeats with the Potters; the midfielder came on as a 75th-minute sub in the 1-0 win against Wigan Athletic and played the full 90 minutes in a 2-0 victory over Luton Town.
Tella’s Burnley side maintained their place at the top of the Championship table and claimed the bragging rights in the Lancashire Derby against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.
Tella came off the bench in the 71st minute with the score at 1-0 and played a part in the second and third goals to ensure a resounding victory at Turf Moor.
He also registered an assist two games earlier, in Burnley’s 3-2 win over Rotherham United, setting up a Jay Rodriguez equaliser in the first half to make the score 1-1 at the time.
Down a division in SkyBet League One, Dan N’lundulu returned from a recent knock with Cheltenham Town as an early substitute against Alvechurch in the FA Cup First Round.
The Robins were on the wrong end of a cup upset as they slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat, but N’lundulu was restored to the starting line-up a week later and played 85 minutes in an impressive 1-1 draw away to second-place Ipswich Town.
Caleb Watts returned to receiving regular playing time with Morecambe, featuring four times in two weeks, including starting in two 1-1 home draws with playoff sides Derby County and Portsmouth as Morecambe put an end to successive cup defeats.
In League Two, Dynel Simeu’s Tranmere side secured back-to-back draws in the league but bowed out of the FA Cup. Rovers are 11th in the table, four points off the playoffs.
In the Vanarama National League, Jake Vokins’ Woking side are in excellent form as they have moved up to fourth in the league table in a run of six games unbeaten.
The Saints loanee was a late sub in the Cards’ 1-0 wins over Yeovil Town and Boreham Wood, and could feature this Wednesday against League One side Oxford United in their rescheduled FA Cup First Round tie.
Down a division in the National League South, young goalkeeper Jack Bycroft continued to earn praise at Taunton Town.
Despite bowing out of the FA Cup at the hands of League One MK Dons, who play three divisions higher, Bycroft earned praise for a handful of key saves.
He followed that up with a clean sheet as Taunton returned to league action with a 1-0 win over Cheshunt.
Outside of England, Mateusz Lis returned to the starting line-up with ESTAC Troyes in UberEats Ligue 1.
Troyes fell to a 2-1 defeat away to Brest with both goals coming from the penalty spot; Saints’ Polish goalkeeper stood firm to save the second spot kick but, due to encroachment, the penalty was retaken and converted.
Finally, Kazeem Olaigbe’s Ross County side have seen a slight upturn in form that has lifted them up to 10th in the SPL table as the Southampton B youngster picked up more minutes away to league leaders Celtic on Saturday.
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