Watford Home Won 3 – 2 (scored in the first and last minute)
Bednarek is probably our best defender and arguably the best in the Championship. It’s ridiculous to think that the manager doesn’t know this, but that doesn’t stop his detractors, and Stephens’ detractors, from complaining loudly when the club captain is preferred in the line up. The truth surely is that, despite giving us 90 minutes at Blackburn, Bednarek hasn’t been fully fit since an injury at Ipswich. Against Watford, the bigger question in the opening minute was whether our opponents had any central defenders at all when Smallbone found himself unmarked as he stretched to head home Adam Armstrong’s deep cross. Saints continued to press forward and they forced some more atrocious defending as Dele-Bashiru made a hash of clearing Walker-Peters’ low cross; Brooks was alert enough not to let the ball go out for a corner but pull it back for Adams to score a simple goal. Watford now had to come forward and their pacey attackers proved very capable of going past tackles, especially down Walker-Peters’ flank. One such raid led to several futile attempts to clear before Porteous shot at Bazunu only for the ball to deflect off Stephens and past the keeper. Despite Bree and Walker-Peters switching wings to shore things up, at 2-1 the game was open and both sides threatened to change the scoreline. Aribo was one likely source of a Southampton goal but he was replaced by Stuart Armstrong who, in contrast, couldn’t do a thing right. As a result, the Hornets were now on top although Fraser had the ball in the net, only to be flagged offside; I thought the wee man had gone too soon to get on the end of Adam Armstrong’s cross, others will tell you otherwise. It looked to be an important decision as Downes misjudged a bouncing ball to allow Koné to run on and sidefoot a shot low to Bazunu’s left – they always go in, no matter how weak the strike. The draw looked nailed on when Bachmann managed to tip the bouncing ball over the bar following a mis-hit scissor kick by Adam Armstrong. By now Bednarek was on the pitch and he won a free kick towards the end of an advertised seven added minutes. Sub Manning’s kick was cleared for a corner and, generously, the referee allowed Manning to go over and take that corner, despite the clock now showing 99. In the confusion that followed, Downes atoned for his earlier error by putting the ball in the net, albeit with the suspicion of a hand involved – that’s strictly verboten when scoring, however accidental, but oh so tricky to spot in the no-tech EFL! Not the first time in recent years that this fixture has featured a decisive late goal, but unusual for it to be scored by Southampton.
Three LSSC Man of the Match candidates to choose from:
5. Jack Stephens. His pace was needed to stop some eager opponents.
9. Adam Armstrong. Often ends up playing all across the front line as the substitution strategy enfolds, but contributed well throughout.
21. Taylor Harwood-Bellis. A clearance from a Porteous header was crucial.
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