Still on target

Brentford 0, Saints 3

You get the impression that Saints are needing all of their large squad as frequent selection changes suggest that some players are being patched up on a match-by-match basis – a good job a late season suspension amnesty means Fonte’s indiscretions and shirt removals now count for nothing. Crucially Lallana started against Brentford, as his 16th minute strike that goalkeeper Moore made a bit of a mess of kept nerves at bay. Actually Brentford, with injury problems of their own, were quite woeful, but that means we can’t expect them to see off Huddersfield’s challenge for second place – Southampton need to do that themselves.
The points at Griffin Park were pretty well wrapped up on the half hour when for the second time in eight days we scored from a Davis free kick. This time it took a brave and skilful effort by Connolly to beat defenders and goalkeeper to the ball and lob into an unguarded net. At this point Do Prado became the latest to succumb to injury and he was replaced by Gobern, but the remainder of the match was little more than a stroll in the spring sunshine.
It could all have turned awkward when Richardson’s foul challenge on Weston was judged, rather dubiously, to be in the penalty area – Davis guessed right but it didn’t matter as Saunders’ spot kick rebounded to safety off the post.
The remaining time was taken up with score updates from Huddersfield’s match, including their late winner that put a damper on spirits despite Gobern‘s added time goal after good work by Lallana.

LSSC Man of the Match: David Connolly in another democratic decision by those opting for our pub of choice (a rather good one, as it happens). Chaplow claimed second spot… but will Saints do the same?

Nigel Adkins: “Two more games to go we’ve just got to keep working very hard.”
“We’ve said all along we’re going to try and win our remaining games and whatever the Huddersfield score is we have to go down to Plymouth and try and win a game of football.”

01 Davis
02 Richardson
03 Harding (Dickson 72)
06 Fonte yellow card
15 Jaidi
11 Guly (Gobern 31)
14 Hammond
20 Lallana
30 Chaplow
07 Lambert
22 Connolly (Butterfield 85)