mario_fan

A little trip down memory lane : Saints 4 v Fulham 2 A thoroughly impressive performance by Saints who gifted Fulham a two goal lead but still had the strength of character to get back on level terms by half time and to eventually run out comfortable winners. The strong wind meant it was never going to be an easy day to play good football but whereas Southampton were prepared to battle away, Fulham apparently were not. Gordon Strachan made just one change from the team that had beaten Aston Villa on Monday night: Rory Delap who has not been on top form this season was replaced by Matt Oakley in the centre of midfield. Marian Pahars had served his one match suspension at Villa but now has picked up some sort of bug so Ormerod and Beattie continued up front. But the most amazing bit of team news was that Agustin Delgado was named as one of the substitutes ! Team: Niemi; Dodd, Lundekvam, M.Svensson, Bridge; Fernandes, Oakley, A.Svensson, Marsden; Ormerod, Beattie Southampton started the better of the two sides with Wayne Bridge providing the first highlight after five minutes with a skilful turn and run into the Fulham box. Unfortunately he was stopped by a firm but fair challenge which left him with an injured leg. He was off the field for almost five minutes getting treatment, and was clearly in pain for the remainder of the match, but showed great guts by sticking it out to the end. Then after 15 minutes Southampton shot themselves in the foot for the first time: Anders Svensson attempted one of his fancy pirouettes 30 yards from his own goal and only succeeded in losing possession to Lee Clark whose shot took a deflection off Michael Svensson leaving Niemi completely stranded. Things got worse ten minutes later as a terrible bit of defending saw the visitors double their lead: Finnan got to the byeline and hit in a low cross, Anders Svensson and Jason Dodd waited for each other to deal with the danger and Malbranque stepped in to shoot home from 12 yards. Despite being two goals down Saints were still having most of the possession and within two minutes they pulled a goal back. Ormerod broke down the left and as he attempted to cut the ball back to the centre of the box Goma handled the ball. It was a clear penalty which Beattie smashed confidently into the top right corner of the goal. Clearly boosted by his second penalty in a week Beattie was busy putting himself about and should have equalised five minutes later when he had a free header six yards from goal, but this time the ball hit his shoulder and went out for a goal kick. However two minutes before the break he made amends: Fabrice Fernandes, who was having another great game, sent over a cross from the right and Beattie planted a firm header back past Van der Saar into the bottom right corner of the net. So 2 - 2 at half-time and there now looked like only one team who were going to go on and win the game. Sure enough Saints had the lead early in the second half. Anders Svensson, who did not let his head drop despite being wholly to blame for Fulham's first goal and partly to blame for the second, won a free kick on the left. He took it himself and his cross found Beattie rising high to head into the bottom right corner to complete his hattrick. It was a great performance: the bad weather conditions meant that it was an afternoon tailor made for a good old fashioned English centre forward, and today Beattie delivered the goods. By now Fulham were being comprehensively outplayed. Lundekvam was putting in his usual solid performance at the back, Fernandes and Anders Svensson were providing the flair in midfield, and Ormerod and Beattie were looking for more goals. The fourth came after 75 minutes when Fernandes fed the ball in to Marsden bursting through the centre. The ball broke away from Marsden but straight into the path of Ormerod who steered the ball past the Fulham keeper to seal a great fight back by Saints. The last ten minutes saw Saints lose a little concentration and Fulham went close to scoring a third goal of their own. Marlet's shot missed the post by inches, Malbranque's overhead kick flashed narrowly wide, and Niemi was called upon to make one good save. But you always suspected that even if they had made it 4-3 they would never have made it 4-4. Finally there was even time for Delgado to make an appearance for ten minutes or so. He nearly scored as well, that really would have been the icing on the cake ! Man of the Match: James Beattie.