AT times Saints were
unlucky, on other occasions
wasteful, but
after a good display
ended in another home
defeat the task of getting
the team into the
top six is growing
harder for the next
manager.
In Jason Dodd and John Gorman's
first game in charge against Bury,
their team never played anywhere
near their best.
They rarely got their passing
game going and were lucky to come
away with a place in the fifth round
of the FA Cup.
For much of their second game,
last night's Championship clash
with Norwich, the opposite was
true.
Saints had a right good go and
played very well. Some of their football
was terrific.
They hit the woodwork three
times and while on another day the
luck could have gone their way, they
also could have done better in front
of goal.
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Ultimately, though, it was a sixth
home defeat of the season which is
just not good enough if you are serious
about finishing in the top six,
which Saints insist they still are.
Norwich, though they do have
quality belying their position as
strugglers this season, have been
losing games on a regular basis.
Yet they have somehow managed
to beat Saints twice this season.
Saints showed glimpses of what
they can do last night but are well
off the play-off pace.
The justification for the belief that
Saints could reach that top six has
been that they haven't been far away
and there were plenty of games left.
Despite a more positive feeling,
the gap is still there - seven points,
the same as the margin between
Saints and the drop zone - and the
number of games quickly diminishing.
Saints can still get there but the
new manager will have to inspire a
great run.
That is a big ask.
Dodd and Gorman sent their team
out in a 4-3-3 formation and they
were bright for most of an entertaining
game.
Grzegorz Rasiak hit the post for
the first time on seven minutes,
drilling past the keeper after Stern
John's lay-off but hitting the inside
of the near stick.
Dion Dublin was a real menace all
night, despite his age still a class act
and so strong in the air.
Kelvin Davis twice had to turn
efforts from him over the bar before
it was Rudi Skacel's turn to hit the
woodwork.
Saints showed plenty of heart for Jason Dodd and John Gorman and played some good football. But the result, another home defeat against a struggling side, was disappointing. They need a good charge for the play-offs.
Adam Leitch
From 25 yards out he whipped a
free-kick over the wall but saw the
ball clip the top of the bar.
Skacel and John both went close
before Norwich finished the half in
the ascendancy.
In the closing moments before half
time, Ched Evans had a free header
from a free-kick which hit the post
before Davis made a good save from
the follow-up.
But there was no escape for Saints
when their diamond formation was
exposed by Lee Croft, who got to the
right by-line and cut back for Evans.
He jinked outside to get himself a
bit of space for a shot and drilled a
shot that was deflected past Davis
from 12 yards out.
The second half was if anything
even more frustrating for Saints.
Just four minutes after the restart
Rasiak drilled another low shot only
to see it strike the near post again.
Bradley Wright-Phillips went
close with an effort across goal but
just wide of the far post, while
appeals for a penalty were turned
down after Rasiak fell in the area.
There was no doubt where the
ball should have ended up on 70
minutes.
Adam Hammill's free-kick was
heading towards Wayne Thomas at
the far post before Gary Doherty's
arm went up and deflected it away
from him, the referee deciding it
was a yellow and not red card
offence.
After Rasiak missed his penalty
at the same end against Bury, the
responsibility was left to John.
His spot-kick was even worse
than Rasiak's, flying well over.
Skacel did test David Marshall a
minute later with a shot that was
turned round the post.
But with Norwich then defending
for their lives, Saints never created
a better opening as they ran
out of ideas.
The result may well speed up the
appointment of a new manager,
even though the team are clearly
giving their all for Dodd and
Gorman whose case for a longer
spell was put by the nature of this
upbeat performance.
But whoever it is will need to hit
the ground running with a string
of wins if the season is going to
end with Saints in the top six.
Daily Echo Man of the Match:Rudi Skacel Again he was the one looking to push on and make things happen for Saints.
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