Printer-friendly pageMonday, April 28, 2008
A Monday night trip to West Bromwich, and quite what impact the delay for TV scheduling had is only going to be conjecture - but we did know in advance that Saints required a win to keep their fate in their own hands whilst, realistically, a point would be enough for Albion to secure promotion.
My view is that prior knowledge worked in Saints’ favour, and indeed we were probably better off for the hosts not already being ‘up’, as was very nearly the case.
The two sides tested each other out nervously, but from about the 25th minute onwards Saints started to find it very difficult to retain possession and we came under increasing pressure. As I’ve suggested before, this may be down to Perry and Lucketti having other priorities than playing the ball around with a bit of swagger, and the team looks all the better able to cope with this sort of fixture because of it.
The second half continued in much the same vein, with Saints indebted to heroic performances from their centre backs, a second superb save from Wright to add to the way he dealt with a deflected first half cross, some hard work in getting behind the ball by the rest of the team and the same Kevin Phillips that we remember – not the one who’s scored all those goals this year.
However, it wasn’t until 75 minutes that Saints had a serious on target shot, so it had to be a surprise that they scored a couple of minutes later. A pretty good goal too, with Lallana latching onto Jermaine Wright’s pass and having to thread his angled shot into the smallest of gaps between Kiely and the far post. An upset win was on the cards, but that depended on the Championship’s leakiest defence holding firm. Despite plenty of home pressure, they did so for about half the remaining normal time, but then Viafara’s desperate lurch across the area failed to stop a cross pass from reaching Brunt, and he then just failed to block the shot whilst at the same time unsighting Richard Wright so the ball went through the keeper’s legs. However Lallana’s goal had been a warning and the last few minutes plus lavish added time passed without the League leaders getting too excited about a possible winner.
LSSC Man of the Match: Chris Perry, with that unfortunate through his legs moment denying Richard Wright.
West Brom: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Clement, Robinson, Gera, Greening (Moore 81), Koren, Morrison (Brunt 64), Miller (Bednar 69), Phillips.
Subs Not Used: Danek, Albrechtsen.
Booked: Hoefkens, Clement.
Goals: Brunt 84.
Southampton: Richard Wright, Jermaine Wright, Perry, Lucketti, Surman, Viafara, Idiakez, Safri (Dyer 62), Euell, Saganowski (Lallana 74), John (Wright-Phillips 74).
Subs Not Used: Davis, Licka.
Booked: Euell, Perry, Idiakez.
Goals: Lallana 77.
Att: 26,167
Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
