Hull City 0-1 Saints
Jose Fonte celebrates at the final whistle after his goal helped Saints win at Hull.
Chambers confirming himself as first choice right back was the only change for what could be the last ever fixture against Hull City before they add the moniker ‘Tigers’ – the irony isn’t lost on citizens who are quite proud of having two of just three clubs in rugby’s Super League who don’t have a silly name.
Saints looked the more likely to open the scoring but Lambert clattered a shot against the post that holds up the goal netting and he was also denied by Harper in an incident that left the keeper injured and with his colleague McShane stretchered off.
Hull made sure complacency didn’t set in when Long headed against the post, with the rebound hitting the back of Buruc’s head. Southampton’s last line was also keeping his colleagues on their toes with an oddly petulant performance that at least gave the locals something to shout about as Saints took a firmer grip as the match wore on. Rodriguez hit the bar before the break, but the most assured football came after the interval, although decisive moments proved elusive.
Then a corner was only partially cleared and Fonte forced a save with a header from a resulting cross. Lallana followed up and when his effort was blocked, Fonte then tried his luck with a shot and was rewarded with a goal, courtesy of the modern miracle of goalmouth technology; in fact the new gizmo only served to deny Lambert rather than the team, as Rickie supplied a coup de grace anyway once Boyd had cleared from just behind the line.
Wanyama and Ward-Prowse came on in logical moves to seal the win, but Do Prado for Lambert seemed more of a gamble. Nevertheless Guly could easily have made the scoresheet when he got on the end of a parry, only for Curtis Davies to clear from just in front of the line this time.
An even less likely scorer nearly doubled the lead as well, but Cork shot against the bar as Saints pretty well strolled home.
LSSC Man of the Match: Steven Davis, but with an honourable mention for Maya Yoshida as well.
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