SAINTS may go into the
final day of the season
with their fate not entirely
in their own hands, but at
least they do have renewed
optimism.
The hard work in their survival
battle is still to come, but at least
against West Brom they proved
they have the heart and the stomach
for a fight.
For all the huffing and puffing of
an entire season, it will come down
to a final day decider against
Sheffield United.
You feel there are still twists and
turns to come on what will be a
tense day at St Mary's, not least
with what happens in the games
involving Saints' relegation rivals.
But in grabbing a point at West
Brom last night, they have given
themselves a bit more of a chance.
It has brought other teams back
into the equation and also thrown
up the possibility that maybe a draw
will be enough against the Blades.
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However, Saints have to go for the
win. They need the three points,
otherwise it's a case of hoping
eicester lose at Stoke.
That might happen but, in this
season of weekly upsets, you wouldn't
want your fate to rest on it.
And, anyway, if you end up playing
for a draw, you often end up losing
- and Saints cannot afford to
lose. If they do, and United do have
a play-off spot to play for, then they
will be relegated.
But at least Nigel Pearson has
something to point to in the shape of
this performance to give his team
some added hope and belief.
It will need to be a different performance
against United but the
commitment and battling qualities
will have to be the same.
Though it sounds a little odd,
going to West Brom and battling out
a point is in many ways an easier
equation than beating United at
home.
West Brom might be the best team
in the division but the pressure was
all on them - Saints were expected
to lose and anything they got would
be a bonus.
Yes, they did very well and you
can't take anything away from
them, but it's going to be a different
story at St Mary's.
The pressure will be all on Saints,
much like it was against Burnley,
only intensified. They need to show
that they can handle that pressure
and win, and it's that kind of pressure
they have struggled with so
often this season.
They will also have to make some
of the running, whereas against
West Brom it was often about stopping
the Baggies playing.
Saints were pretty successful in
that respect and were well worth
their point.
In the first half, they limited West
Brom to just one shot on target, the
only one of the first 45, and that was
a fairly weak effort that was comfortable
for Richard Wright.
Chris Perry made two brilliant
last ditch interventions to stop better
openings being created, but
Saints on the whole looked fairly
comfortable.
You sensed West Brom had a gear
or two still to find and they stepped
it up a notch after the break.
They really flew at Saints but you
just felt the longer the visitors kept
them out the greater the chance
they would start playing for a point,
which would be enough to all but
assure the Baggies promotion.
Wright had to save low at the near
post from Ishmael Miller six minutes
after the restart while Kevin
Phillips shot wide three minutes
later.
As West Brom pushed on again,
Miller saw a shot deflected wide off
Perry before Phillips again missed an opening, heading over at the far
post.
The Baggies saw another chance
come and go on 75 minutes, this
time Phillips seeing his close
range header brilliantly saved by
Wright charging out of his goal.
Incredibly, it was Saints who
made the breakthrough on 77 minutes.
Just a few minutes after coming
on as a sub, Jermaine Wright's ball
between centre-half and full-back
was taken on by Adam Lallana.
He looked to have limited options
but opted to shoot from a tight
angle and smashed a shot across
Dean Kiely and in off the far post.
Saints had the lead and a real
chance for a sensational win.
The feeling that it might just be
their night was enhanced when
first Neil Clement headed a corner
from six yards into the ground and
over the bar and then Luke Moore
missed a similar opening.
But it was a fleeting reprieve as
West Brom snatched an equaliser
with six minutes remaining.
Saints couldn't quite clear a
cross from the right that went just
behind everybody, Chris Brunt
picked it up in the area and drove
it low at goal. Wright was unsighted
and the firmly struck shot went
through his legs.
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