Printer-friendly pageSaturday, December 8, 2007
Despite incessant morning rain, the St. Mary's pitch played well and the players had the unique luxury (for this season) of having a starting line up unchanged from the previous game.
No excuses, then, for a disjointed beginning that was leading to signs that the team could be outplayed by cautious Hull. It was hardly engrossing stuff for the recorded 18,125 who looked to be occupying far fewer seats than that, but just before half time Saints switched Hammill, who is fairly two-footed but favours the right, and Surman, who is predominantly left footed.
Having made the radical move of having wide players on their preferred wing, Saints enjoyed a half time lead when Wright-Phillips headed home Hammill's deep cross. Hull gave notice of a more ambitious game plan by making a switch at the interval, so we thought that Southampton might now find things easier going forward. Certainly it was easy for John when the visitors' marking was poor for another right wing Hammill cross (albeit with his left foot) and the Trinidadian was able to head in.
A third goal came from the same Hammill-John pairing, but it was an ugly affair with Saganowski having an air shot before John's half hit effort dribbled into the net off a defender. John was now our clear leading goalscorer for the season, and he added to his tally with a much more memorable effort with ten minutes left: a touch with the chest before a 20 yard volley on the turn that flew past a startled keeper.
Myhill was beaten again in added time when a partial clearance fell for Viafara whose powerful shot from distance was cleared by Delaney - but only back to Viafara who missed badly with a second effort from much closer in.
LSSC Man of the Match: Stern John. Well, look at the scoreline.
Southampton: Davis, Wright, Bennett, Davies, Skacel, Euell, Surman, Safri, Hammill (Viafara 78), Wright-Phillips (Saganowski 69), John (Rasiak 83).
Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Lallana.
Booked: John.
Goals: Wright-Phillips 43, John 58, 76, 78.
Hull: Myhill, Ricketts, Turner (Dawson 46), Brown, Delaney, Okocha (McPhee 63), Ashbee, Marney (Garcia 73), Hughes, Folan, Windass.
Subs Not Used: Duke, Livermore.
Booked: Ricketts, Delaney.
Att: 18,125
Ref: Mike Thorpe (Suffolk).
