Saints 4-1 Hull City
Adam Lallana applies the finishing touch to a fantastic solo effort to put Saints 3-0 up against Hull City
The announcement of an unchanged team to face Hull rather ignores the side put out in the midweek cup tie, but it was business as usual in a return to Premier League action as Saints continued their good home form – and also produced their most incisive football of the season in front of the watching England manager.
They took the lead after 15 minutes when Lambert was able to head Clyne’s cross into the path of Schneiderlin who himself headed it home – we will know that this squad is really being taken seriously when the French manager arrives to have a long overdue look at Morgan.
Mr. Hodgson, though, will have gone away happy with his selection of Lallana for upcoming friendlies, firstly after Adam’s dash towards Lambert’s pass was ended by Harper, who now knows he should have stayed back in his goal – i.e. from where he was beaten by Lambert’s resulting penalty.
But Lallana was saving his best party piece for later, with a run that ended with a tight-angle shot beyond Harper after no less than six defenders had failed to make a serious attempt at a tackle, possibly for fear of conceding another penalty.
3-0 at half time, then, as against Fulham, Saints looked as though they would be content to pass the ball around amongst themselves for the entire second half. That was until Wanyama chose to turn in the wrong direction when receiving a dangerous throw out by Boruc, and Sagbo scored when the midfielder was dispossessed.
That prompted Southampton into more urgent action and the Hull goal was lucky to survive intact until the dying minutes, when substitute Steven Davis produced a neat finish from Clyne’s low cross.
A fifth looked a distinct possibility as Rodriguez also had an opportunity to boost his international credentials in added time, but a last ditch tackle was enough to put him off.
LSSC Man of the Match: Adam Lallana, who was probably Roy Hodgson’s choice as well.
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