Barnard gets the party started

Saints were on top for the majority of the game and were deservedly winners by a big margin.

Four different scorers in the shape of Lee Barnard, Jose Fonte, Richard Chaplow and Guly do Prado ensured Arron McLean’s goal for Peterborough was no more than a consolation and lifted Saints up to sixth in the League One table.

Saints had their first effort at goal after two minutes as Alex Chamberlain’s shot from just outside the area took a deflection and went straight to Joe Lewis.

It was Saints enjoying all the possession early on and they created a terrific chance on six minutes.

Chamberlain burst away down the right and whipped in an excellent cross that picked out Adam Lallana. His first time, side-footed volley from six yards out looked for all the world as if it would be a goal but somehow Lewis managed to block it.

Moments later a clever free kick set Lee Barnard away but Arron Davies produced a superb tackle just before the Saints striker could pull the trigger.

Lewis was in action again to turn Lallana’s cross turned near post shot over the bar.

Saints were piling on the pressure and Barnard’s fierce shot this time did beat Lewis but not Aaron McLean back on the line who cleared.

Jose Fonte probably should have done better on ten minutes when he had a free header from a corner 12 yards out but he put his effort straight at Lewis.

However, for all that Saints could have fallen behind. Craig Mackail-Smith got in one-on-one after shrugging off the attentions of Fonte who looked like he might pull him down but his shot from the edge of the area was brilliantly saved one handed by Kelvin Davis diving to his left.

Lambert had a go from a 25-yard free kick on 18 minutes which bent round the wall but hit the side netting.

After the frantic opening stages to the game it was inevitable it would quieten down and it duly did.

That was until Saints produced a goal out of nothing on 28 minutes.

Lambert picked up the ball midway in the Peterborough half and saw Barnard bursting on ahead of him. He fed the ball through to Barnard who shot first time from the edge of the area from a difficult angle but hit it with such venom that it beat Lewis and drilled into the near top corner for 1-0.

Mackail-Smith became the first player in the book for a late challenge on Frazer Richardson.

Chamberlain and Lallana switched wings to see if they could change things up but Saints, though playing a high line, were looking pretty comfortable at the back against a team who score a lot of goals.

When the half-time whistle went Saints went in with a very satisfactory half and a one-goal lead under their belts.

That got even better as Saints doubled their lead just 45 seconds after the restart.

Saints won a free kick on the left wing and rather than just whipping it in Ryan Dickson played a one-two with Dean Hammond, pushed on down the line and delivered a deep cross. It picked out Fonte at the far post whose header went back across goal and into the far corner for 2-0.

Saints virtually sealed the result on 50 minutes as they scored a third.

Chamberlain won the ball off of Marcus Williams on the right wing and fed it down the line to Hammond.

He crossed and found Richard Chaplow breaking forward from midfield and from the edge of the six yard box his side footed first time volley crashed past Lewis and into the net for 3-0.

Saints made their first change moments later with Barnard limping off to be replaced by Guly do Prado.

Peterborough responded with George Boyd getting through only for Davis to collect before they made a double switch with Adam Clayton and James Wesolowski replacing Lee Tomlin and Boyd.

Kelvin Langmead was the next to have a go with Davis diving to his left to save his low long range drive.

Davies tested Davis with a similar effort but again the Saints keeper was up to the challenge and kept it out.

Saints made a second change on minutes with Lee Holmes coming on for Chamberlain.

Saints were in total cruise control.

They were allowing Peterborough a bit more of the ball but were able to sit a little deeper and defend their three goal lead.

Peterborough hadn’t given up and caused the odd bit of trouble but in the main Saints were dealing with them fairly comfortably as they had done all game.

Chaplow was the first Saints player in the book for a late tackle.

Peterborough made their final switch with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing replacing McCann on 75 minutes.

The visitors pulled a goal back a minute later as a ball through the middle played in McLean. He held off Fonte and lifted the ball over the advancing Davis to reduce the arrears to 3-1.

Saints nearly restored the three goal cushion as Holmes crossed from the right for Guly whose header was well saved by Lewis.

But he wasn’t to be denied on 80 minutes as Holmes whipped in a free kick from the right that was met by a glancing header from Guly and this time it went it to make it 4-1.

David Connolly came on for Lambert two minutes later.

Guly had a golden chance to round off a great afternoon with another goal as he got clean through one-on-one with Lewis and with time to pick his spot but from inside the area he shot wide of the target.

However, it was never going to make any difference to the destination of the three points.

There were five minutes of added time but they passed without any incident of note and when the full time whistle went a convincing and confidence boosting victory was completed.

For more pictures, reaction and analysis, don't miss Monday's Daily Echo.