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4:57pm Saturday 18th October 2008
SAINTS 0 WATFORD 3 Saints missed two penalties as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat to Watford at St Mary’s.
The Hornets had a dreadful away record going into the game having only taken one point in their five games on the road this season but were comprehensive winners over Saints.
It could have been very different were it not for missed first half chances from Saints and naïve defending that saw them concede all three goals from set-pieces.
The game got off to an incredible and controversial start with Saints missing a brilliant chance to take an early lead.
Just three minutes in Watford let a long ball over the top from Andrew Surman bounce and David McGoldrick chased it down. He went down right on the edge of the area with the keeper Richard Lee and two defenders having challenged.
The linesman flagged and the referee awarded a penalty with Lee being booked.
McGoldrick stepped up to take the penalty himself but it was very weak and fairly central and Lee diving to his left saved it with relative ease.
Saints created another opening just two minutes later when Jordan Robertson got in down the right and crossed low to the far post but Ryan Smith was unable to turn it goalwards.
Moments later Adam Lallana’s chipped ball to the far post was headed over by McGoldrick as Saints piled the early pressure on Watford who were desperately hanging on.
But as ever in football missed chances come back to haunt you and it was the Hornets who took the lead on ten minutes.
They failed to defend a right wing corner adequately and the ball fell to Tamas Priskin at the far post who lashed a half volley past Kelvin Davis for 1-0.
John Eustace was the next player in the book for a strong challenge on Adam Lallana.
Amazingly Saints were awarded another penalty on 19 minutes and they missed it again.
This time it was Smith who went down in the area looking like he was shoved by Matthew Sadler as he tried to win a header.
Paul Wotton took the responsibility from the penalty spot this time and decided to blast it low and hard but again it was very central and Lee, this time diving to his right, saved it with his legs.
Saints were getting rattled by Watford’s strong-arm tactics as Lee Williamson became their third player in the book while Jon Harley made it four moments later.
After 30 minutes it was 2-0 and again it came from a poorly defended corner.
Williamson lifted the ball in towards the near post, Darren Ward’s header hit the underside of the bar and Eustace was alert to follow up and head home from close range.
Saints had a terrific chance to halve the deficit four minutes later as Lallana’s beautiful ball put McGoldrick through one-on-one with Lee. He lifted the ball over the keeper but missed the target as he went for the far corner.
There was a much tougher chance for Robertson on 37 minutes as Leigh Bromby’s header back to Lee saw the keeper having to dive away on one edge of his area to prevent a corner.
He did that but spilt the ball allowing Robertson the chance to try and curl into an empty net but from a very acute angle he couldn’t quite get it on target.
On 40 minutes Saints again defended a set-piece appallingly and went 3-0 down, paying the ultimate price for all their missed chances.
This time it Williamson with the free kick on the right, Adrian Mariappa won the ball in the area and Priskin was alert enough to backheel the loose ball home from inside the six yard box.
McGoldrick was the firsts Saints player in the book for a trip.
Surman nearly gave Saints a glimmer of hope as his free kick was well saved by Lee and the follow-up just about hacked clear but at half time it was 3-0 and looking pretty grim.
The start to the second period was much more serene.
Watford knew their attacking job was largely done and that they needed to concentrate on defending.
As a result they were sitting deeper and trying to make themselves a more compact unit for Saints to break down.
Smith tried to do just that with a run and shot from distance but Lee was able to save.
Lallana also tested the Watford keeper on 55 minutes after being played through by Smith but Lee was equal to it.
Priskin nearly put the result beyond all doubt four minutes later when a long clearance drifted over the top of the Saints defence and the Watford man outpaced Wotton. He had to shoot early just inside the area but Davis dived to his right to make a good save.
Priskin had an even better chance on 65 minutes when some more indecisive defending allowed him a shot from eight yards out but somehow he missed the target.
Saints made their first change a minute later with Jake Thomson on for Lloyd James at right back before he switched positions with Jack Cork.
Davis had to be alert to turn away Ward’s flick-on from Bromby’s long throw as Watford came into the game a little more.
Watford made a double change with nine minutes remaining with Liam Henderson and John-Joe O’Toole coming on for Priskin and Will Hoskins.
Saints responded two minutes later with Tomas Pekhart replacing Smith.
Davis made another good save to stop Watford adding another in the dying minutes as Henderson managed to get past Cork but the Saints keeper got down at his feet to block his shot.
Watford made a final switch with Lloyd Doyley on for Mariappa.
By then though Saints were a beaten side, looking deflated out on the pitch and out of ideas.
When the final whistle went to a few boos from the disappointed St Mary’s crowd it was something of a welcome release and provided a realisation that another very winnable home match had ended in defeat.
couzzy, southampton says...
5:08pm Sat 18 Oct 08
AndyAndrews, West End says...
5:09pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Richard Hill, Lillestrom, Norway says...
5:11pm Sat 18 Oct 08
St JohnH, East Sussex says...
5:14pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Finlay, Des Moines Iowa says...
5:17pm Sat 18 Oct 08
couzzy, southampton says...
5:21pm Sat 18 Oct 08
saintslad, southampton says...
5:42pm Sat 18 Oct 08
St.Yorkie, Pocklington says...
5:48pm Sat 18 Oct 08
iwearahalo2, Liverpool says...
5:55pm Sat 18 Oct 08
The Junkie Monkey, The Beautiful Caves says...
6:00pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Mike_Saint, Soton says...
6:02pm Sat 18 Oct 08
couzzy, southampton says...
6:10pm Sat 18 Oct 08
forcaster, spain says...
6:17pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Saint, says...
6:28pm Sat 18 Oct 08
UTS, says...
6:35pm Sat 18 Oct 08
LLMK, Locks Heath says...
6:38pm Sat 18 Oct 08
St.Yorkie, Pocklington says...
6:47pm Sat 18 Oct 08
keano, chandlers ford says...
6:59pm Sat 18 Oct 08
doctorsaint, Hedge End says...
7:17pm Sat 18 Oct 08
julius, Southampton says...
7:19pm Sat 18 Oct 08
damien thorn, west end says...
7:35pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Condor Man, Southampton says...
8:07pm Sat 18 Oct 08
147madmax, Swanwick says...
8:41pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Optimist, Soton says...
8:42pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Shazza (the genuine article, not an imposter), says...
8:44pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Dave Brown, Lee on the Solent says...
8:48pm Sat 18 Oct 08
tricky19791, Ringwood says...
8:50pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Steve in Swindon, Swindon says...
8:59pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Shazza (the genuine article, not an imposter), says...
9:06pm Sat 18 Oct 08
forcaster wrote:We rolled over for you, but your support was rubbish. At 3-0 up can you hear the Watford sing?! SSHHHHHHH
Being a Watford fan I am highly delighted.We give you the chance to get two goals and you blow it.You deserve to be in Div.1 and most surely that is where you will be,Did you see the Leicester result?Peason must be laughing his head off.Where are all these people who blame the stay away fans for not putting money into the club,can you blame them for not wasting thier hard earned cash.
St.Yorkie, Pocklington says...
9:14pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Shazza (the genuine article, not an imposter) wrote:Shazza
forcaster wrote: Being a Watford fan I am highly delighted.We give you the chance to get two goals and you blow it.You deserve to be in Div.1 and most surely that is where you will be,Did you see the Leicester result?Peason must be laughing his head off.Where are all these people who blame the stay away fans for not putting money into the club,can you blame them for not wasting thier hard earned cash.We rolled over for you, but your support was rubbish. At 3-0 up can you hear the Watford sing?! SSHHHHHHH
Reality-man, Southampton says...
9:17pm Sat 18 Oct 08
St.Yorkie, Pocklington says...
9:21pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Reality-man wrote:"We're all doomed" Private Fraser (Dad's Army c.1970)
I tried telling all you 'oh we're playing great football' and you 'we'll win more games than we lose' mugs after the Birmingham home game. Are you all finally waking up? Saints are rubbish, face it - we're doomed!!!!!!!
Jesus_02, Freemantle says...
10:19pm Sat 18 Oct 08
TottonScrutineer, Totton says...
10:29pm Sat 18 Oct 08
sainth, southampton says...
11:42pm Sat 18 Oct 08
Shazza (the genuine article, not an imposter), says...
10:23am Sun 19 Oct 08
St.Yorkie wrote:St Yorkie
Shazza (the genuine article, not an imposter) wrote:Shazza
forcaster wrote: Being a Watford fan I am highly delighted.We give you the chance to get two goals and you blow it.You deserve to be in Div.1 and most surely that is where you will be,Did you see the Leicester result?Peason must be laughing his head off.Where are all these people who blame the stay away fans for not putting money into the club,can you blame them for not wasting thier hard earned cash.We rolled over for you, but your support was rubbish. At 3-0 up can you hear the Watford sing?! SSHHHHHHH
A true cyber warrior!
Where so sh*t it's unbelievable!
Martin Orford, Bishops Waltham says...
10:45am Sun 19 Oct 08
Saint Madcap, Horndean says...
10:52am Sun 19 Oct 08
mitch kings langley, kings langley says...
10:59am Sun 19 Oct 08
Shazza (the genuine article, not an imposter), says...
11:09am Sun 19 Oct 08
mitch kings langley wrote:Pleased to be of service, what were your thoughts on our brand of total football? x
I know how you must all feel!!To have missed 2 pens and to have given the 3 goals away to a side which has only won two in their last 19 away games......!'thanks for that'...(an embarrassed but greatful hornet)..x
St.Yorkie, Pocklington says...
11:21am Sun 19 Oct 08
Redhat, Southampton says...
11:44am Sun 19 Oct 08
almouk, southampton says...
12:24pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Alexlibertine, Woolston says...
1:00pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Optimist, Soton says...
1:20pm Sun 19 Oct 08
almouk wrote:True, a club is for life, not just for premiership.
True fans are for life not just the good times.....END OF....
Lowes Nemisis, Southampton says...
2:23pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Steve Smirk, sholing says...
4:15pm Sun 19 Oct 08
the third hardest man in sholing, southampton says...
5:01pm Sun 19 Oct 08
St.Yorkie, Pocklington says...
5:14pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Shuan Li, Southampton says...
5:34pm Sun 19 Oct 08
US Spitfire, Idaho USA says...
5:42pm Sun 19 Oct 08
davet1, ryde says...
5:45pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Denzil, Chilworth says...
6:31pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Solent Saint, Lee on the Solent says...
7:51pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Steve in Swindon, Swindon says...
7:55pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Saints Mike, Southampton says...
8:14pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Denzil, Chilworth says...
8:41pm Sun 19 Oct 08
Lehman Bros Banker, Docklands says...
10:34pm Sun 19 Oct 08
pompeydave, portsmouth says...
6:27am Mon 20 Oct 08
pompeydave, portsmouth says...
6:30am Mon 20 Oct 08
Kate, Andover, says...
9:18am Mon 20 Oct 08
jezza, Stanstead Abbotts says...
9:22am Mon 20 Oct 08
SFC4EVA, Southampton says...
10:12am Mon 20 Oct 08
Sickofitall, Embarassed - ville says...
1:47pm Mon 20 Oct 08
Shuan Li wrote:And I was beginning to think it was just me! Shaun mate, your post sums it up perfectly. I know he's only young, (before anyone gets on my case), and he is learning, but he's just no good right now. His confidence is clearly hammered right now, and he needs an extended spell out of the team. Instead of showing some character and desire to put his first disaster right when we got the second pen, did you see how far he ran to get away from the ball? Almost the complete width of the pitch. Stern back, Pearson back & Skacel back, and sorry Dave, but you just don't cut it.
David McGoldrick is my favourite player... to hate! He is a lazy little sod and was abysmal yesterday against Watford. His contribution to the game was to take a lazy, over confident penalty, miss a great chance one on one with the keeper and do nothing else, but assist Watford in his own penalty area by missing two easy headers to clear and make a shocking headed clearence when he did make contact. All three mistakes led to goals. Granted the whole team was rubbish defending, but why was he there? Stay up field. Jan must see him as a match winner as he never gets subbed! Count how many times you see him stood still, hands on hips, next match. He needs to be dropped now! He does my head in!
crazyworld, Southampton says...
9:04am Tue 21 Oct 08
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The Junkie Monkey, The Beautiful Caves says...
5:02pm Sat 18 Oct 08