HARRY REDKNAPP felt decisions from referee Mark Halsey cost Saints dearly.

The Saints boss thought Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman was lucky to stay on the pitch after constantly tangling with centre-backs Andreas Jakobsson and Claus Lundekvam.

After Saints had held their own early on, Redknapp was particularly disappointed with the decision which led to Chelsea's fortuitous opener.

Kezman had backed into Jakobsson only for Halsey to award a free-kick from which Frank Lampard, Redknap's nephew, scored after a horrible deflection off Rory Delap.

"There was very little in the game," said Redknapp after the first home league loss of his reign at Saints.

"For 20 minutes there was nothing in it. The referee gave a terrible decision.

"Frank has mishit a free-kick which has taken a wicked deflection - that was the turning point.

"The referee got some big decisions wrong, he was poor.

"Kezman has backed into our centre-half all day. He's backed in, fell over and has never been touched and he gets a free-kick.

"He was very lucky to stay on the pitch.

"Then we broke away with Crouchie and the referee pulls it back for a free-kick against Nigel (Quashie).

"Fluking the first goal set them off when really there was not a lot happening. We weren't really under any pressure.

"I just felt the referee got some key decisions wrong. I don't normally stand and talk about referees.

"But these things happen. When you are going well, everything goes your way."

Saints competed through much of the game and Redknapp pointed to the fact that goalkeeper Antti Niemi had few saves to make.

"I came in at half-time and I thought '2-0 down, what have they done?'. The goalkeeper has not had a shot to save," said the Saints boss.

"For 20 minutes they never opened us up. They played with one up and they are going to see a lot of the ball.

"(Claude) Makelele sits in that holding position and is always going to see a lot of the ball, but I don't remember our goalkeeper having anything to do really.

"He's not exactly been over-worked. I'm not saying we opened them up very often either. But to come in 2-0 was a little bit unjust.

"But they are a good side and that is why they will be champions.

"Yet I didn't walk in and think 'my God, they've slaughtered us, they are different class, they've ripped us to pieces'."