BRIGHTON (Interstat) — Bailey Palmer had one goal and two assists as Brighton U18 rallied for a 3-2 win over Southampton U18 on Saturday in an under-18 football match. Brighton improved to 1-0 in the competition and 1-0 across all competitions, while Southampton fell to 0-1 in the competition and 0-1 across all competitions. The home side led early, fell behind by halftime and then controlled the second half to secure the victory. Palmer was Brighton’s top star, contributing to all three goals in a performance that shaped the result. Brighton’s comeback gave the home side a winning start in the competition and across all competitions. Southampton, which led at halftime, could not protect the advantage after the break. Brighton’s three goals came from three different players, while Southampton’s two goals came from two different scorers.

Palmer put Brighton ahead in the sixth minute. Southampton responded through Brogan Sewell in the 11th minute, and Wyatt Comley scored in the 24th minute to put the visitors 2-1 in front at halftime. Brighton equalized two minutes after the restart when Chetam Ezenwata scored in the 47th minute. Chris Condy then scored the winner in the 62nd minute as Brighton completed the comeback. Southampton’s Archie Lovatt recorded an assist, while Brighton’s Jacob Parsons also had an assist. The match featured five goals and a steady flow of attacking play from both under-18 sides. Brighton’s second-half pressure produced the equalizer and the winner, and the home side held on through the closing stages. Southampton pushed for a late response, but Brighton protected its advantage and closed out the win. The visitors had taken the lead into the interval after scoring twice in the first half, but they were unable to add another goal after the break.

Palmer played 90 minutes and posted one goal and two assists. Ezenwata played 90 minutes and scored once. Condy played 90 minutes and scored once. Sewell played 90 minutes and scored once for Southampton. Comley played 90 minutes and scored once for Southampton. Parsons played 90 minutes and had one assist. Lovatt played 90 minutes and had one assist for Southampton. Palmer had three goal involvements for Brighton. Ezenwata and Condy scored Brighton’s second-half goals. Sewell and Comley scored Southampton’s first-half goals. Lovatt recorded an assist for Southampton, and Parsons recorded an assist for Brighton. These were the key performances in descending order of importance.

Brighton’s record in the competition moved to 1-0, and its record across all competitions also moved to 1-0. Southampton’s record in the competition is now 0-1, and its record across all competitions is now 0-1. The result gave Brighton a winning start and left Southampton searching for its first win. Brighton’s home victory came after a first half in which Southampton held the lead at the break. The second half belonged to the home side, which scored twice after the restart and turned a one-goal deficit into a one-goal win. The match was decided by Brighton’s ability to respond after conceding and by its finishing in the second half. Southampton’s first-half goals from Sewell and Comley had given the visitors a platform, but Brighton’s response changed the match after halftime.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Brighton U18 2, Southampton U18 2. The actual match finished with Brighton U18 3, Southampton U18 2. Brighton’s Palmer finished with one goal and two assists, while Ezenwata and Condy each scored once. Southampton’s Sewell and Comley each scored once, and Lovatt recorded an assist. The simulator’s forecast differed from the final result by one goal for the home side and one goal for the visitors.