Saints back in the goals

Saints 4, Swindon 1
Saints were unchanged to face Swindon at home, which seemed odd after the midweek blank-out at Hartlepool – surely scoring goals would again be the most difficult aspect of the game, especially after four successive scoreless performances against the Robins in the last two years (all lost!)?
Luck still seemed to be against Southampton when Chamberlain hit a shot against the post, but Lallana made the breakthrough, forcing the ball through the various challenges of the goalkeeper and defenders at the end of a nice move.
Guly Do Prado could do with a goal himself, but he could only hit the same post as Chamberlain when well placed; nevertheless the opening half suggested Saints would go on to an easy win. A lot easier than it turned out had Do Prado been on target at the beginning of the second period, and an aimless passage of play followed, which allowed Swindon a way back.
They took it with a shot from Ritchie after the ex-Skate was allowed too much space and Davis left too big a gap at his near post.
Saints immediately brought on Schneiderlin for Chaplow, which didn’t seem the most positive move, but Morgan’s positional sense means he does fill a lot of areas effortlessly, and we immediately looked a better team. That impression was helped by the introduction of Barnard soon after, and by a swift couple of headed goals that put the game to bed: Lambert restored the lead when Harding produced a nice free kick after a desperate foul on Chamberlain, and then Jaidi headed home after a corner. In fact it was an easy run in for Saints who had a goal disallowed for offside and saw Lucas saving well before Barnard rounded the keeper in added time and squeezed number four in from a narrow angle.

LSSC Man of the Match: Rickie Lambert, with an important second Saints goal.