Southampton 2 Blackpool 0

Saints made into the FA Cup fourth round with a convincing 2-0 win over Premier League Blackpool.

Ian Holloway’s line-up was far from his regular top flight side but Nigel Adkins also made a series of changes as second half goals from Lee Barnard and Guly do Prado confirmed a thoroughly deserved win for Saints who were the better team from start to finish.

The game got off to a lively start and Saints had half a chance to take the lead on five minutes when Adam Lallana found himself in space in the area.

However, it took him a while to get the ball fully under control and by that stage the square pass to Lee Barnard unmarked at the far post was cut out.

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Lallana was back in again after a neat one-two on nine minutes but this time the ball was bobbling in front of him and he lifted it over the keeper but also well over the bar.

Moments later a scramble from a corner was hacked away in the Blackpool six yard box before it could be turned home.

Blackpool’s 4-3-3 system, with Jason Euell down the middle and Brett Ormerod and Matt Phillips occupying wide roles, looked dangerous on the break but Saints were also enjoying their man advantage in midfield on the odd occasion the three were all caught up field.

Lee Barnard had the ball in the net on 21 minutes but it was ruled out because the referee adjudged he knocked it out of the keeper’s hands as he went to kick it out.

Lambert headed into an empty net a minute later from a corner but the whistle had long sine gone for a foul on the keeper.

Frazer Richardson became the first man in the book for tripping Phillips as he charged down the left wing.

Liam Tomsett followed for Blackpool as he wrestled with Barnard just outside the area and to the right of centre to present Saints with a free kick in a decent position.

Lambert stuck the ball hard and low, it took a deflection and Paul Rachubka got down to his right to save.

Aaron Martin was the next in the book for a foul before Saints came so close to taking the lead on 34 minutes.

Blackpool failed to deal with a high ball delivered into the box and Rachubka ended up just flapping it back across the six yard box where Lambert unleashed a fearsome volley that struck the underside of the bar and came back out.

As Saints really started to put the pressure on Blackpool, Barnard’s header from ten yards out went only straight at Rachubka.

Saints created another good chance on 41 minutes as Lambert slipped the ball through to Jason Puncheon.

He was in on the left side of the area one-on-one with the keeper but Rachubka stayed big and blocked the ball as Puncheon tried to curl it round him.

Saints continued to finish the half strongly and a quick break after a Blackpool corner ended with Lallana hitting an early shot from 25 yards out that went just over the bar.

Lallana had one more chance before the break, this time a low shot from the edge of the area that Rachubka was down smartly to his left to stop.

When the half time whistle went Saints could be content in the knowledge that they had been the better team but didn’t have a goal to show for their efforts.

Ludovic Sylvestre picked up a booking early in the second period before Blackpool had an opportunity to take the lead.

Their best chance up to that point came three minutes after the restart as a right wing cross picked out the head of Jason Euell but from ten yards out he steered his effort over the bar.

Saints did eventually get the lead they had deserved when Barnard finished on 53 minutes.

Lallana picked up the ball in a central area, pushed forward and saw Lambert unmarked on the left side of the area.

He slid the ball over to him and, after the striker’s shot was blocked, it rebounded to Barnard who showed composure to control and pick his spot, drilling it back across goal and into the far corner for 1-0.

Blackpool responded by making their first change with Tom Barkhuizen replacing Tomsett.

Saints were forced into a substitution on 61 minutes when Ryan Dickson came on for Dean Hammond who limped off injured.

Saints were playing with a diamond midfield with Morgan Schneiderlin sitting, Puncheon and Dickson ahead of him and Lallana in behind the strikers.

Bartosz Bialkowski had his first real save to make three minutes later as he turned over a curling effort from outside the area from Phillips.

Blackpool made a second switch in a bid to get themselves back into the game with Kingsley Francis-Reynolds replacing Neal Eardley.

They so nearly got themselves a goal as Phillips charged down the left and sent in a cross to the far post. Brett Ormerod was on hand to deflect the ball goalwards but it hit the post and was hacked off the before he could turn home from close range.

Barnard made Rachubka turn wide on 68 minutes after volleying goalwards from Lambert’s chest back before Ormerod drilled a low effort straight at Bialkowski.

Saints came close to the second goal that surely seal the win when Lambert’s shot across goal was turned wide by Rachubka, diving low to his left.

Blackpool made a final change with Ormerod getting a warm ovation from the St Mary’s crowd as he was replaced by Josh Roberts.

Saints responded with Guly do Prado coming on for Lallana before making their final change with six minutes remaining with Alex Chamberlain replacing Barnard.

And Saints sealed the win through one of their subs.

With two mintues remaining Lambert had the ball on the right wing and squared it. Dickson dummied the ball for Guly who quickly did a full turn on the ball and unleashed a brilliant curling shot from 20 yards that Rachubka couldn’t reach diving full length to his left.

The afternoon almost got even better when Chamberlain got through, held off Sylvestre and, when one-on-one with Rachubka, fired a shot straight past him but against the outside of the post.

However, the afternoon was already plenty good enough by then and when the referee’s whistle blew it confirmed entry into the draw for the fourth round for Saints and four wins on the spin in all competitions.