Saints’ European hopes took another blow as they failed to score for a fifth game in succession in slipping to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at West Brom.

It was a display of a team desperately short on confidence and belief as they fell behind just moments after the game kicked-off and rarely looked like getting back into it.

Their only two openings of note fell to Graziano Pelle but the struggling striker couldn’t finish either as his personal drought extended to a tenth successive Premier League game.

A short-lived change in formation for the game was also a gamble that failed as it became just one win in five top flight matches at the business end of the season for Ronald Koeman’s men.

Saints got off to the worse possible start as they fell behind with West Brom’s first attack of the game after little over a minute.

Daily Echo:

Before the match Ronald Koeman had warned of the danger the Baggies pose from set pieces but Saints conceded from the first one they had to defend.

Chris Brunt floated a high diagonal ball from the halfway line on the left into the Saints area.

Maya Yoshida actually won the ball in the air from Craig Dawson but headed it straight to Saido Berahino just inside the area in a central position and he made no mistake with a well struck left footed half volley that flashed past Fraser Forster and into the keeper’s top left hand corner for 1-0.

Yoshida tried to atone at the other end on eight minutes with Saints’ first shot of the match but from distance he put it well over the bar.

Daily Echo:

It was a frustrating start for Saints who were second best and seemed unable to get to grips with the change in formation.

Playing three centre halves was just not working, leaving Saints with a spare and unused man at the back, unable to get any meaningful possession and with an attack that looked entirely lacklustre.

Saints almost fell most further behind as Dawson’s header form Craig Gardner’s free kick was saved by Forster.

Koeman didn’t wait any longer to remedy the problem and made a necessary first change on 24 minutes with Eljero Elia replacing Florin Gardos.

Daily Echo:

It was a move that had to be made as Saints reverted to their regular 4-2-3-1 formation with Elia and Mane as the wide men and Dusan Tadic playing off of Graziano Pelle.

Saints instantly looked better and created their first real chance as Morgan Schneiderlin’s wonderful diagonal ball went over Brunt and into the path of Mane. Cutting in from the right he controlled on the chest and broke into the area but fired a shot over the bar.

Victor Wanyama became the first player in the book for a late challenge on James Morrison.

Saints rode their luck again on the half hour mark as Gardner broke the offside trap and brought a looping pass down on his chest eight yards out. He could only poke the ball harmlessly to Forster from close range and claimed he had been fouled by Fonte but in truth he was off balance and falling before the Saints man intervened.

Daily Echo:

Up the other end Mane was in business once more as a cut back found its way to him just inside the area but again he slashed wildly over the bar.

Saints were getting increasingly frustrated by West Brom’s time wasting but even more by their own inability to get much going and at half time knew they knew they had to improve drastically to get anything from the game.

There were two changes at the break with Steven Davis replacing Wanyama for Saints and also referee Phil Dowd having to come off with fourth official Graham Scott taking over in the middle.

Daily Echo:

After a quiet start to the second period Brown Ideye burst in behind Fonte who had been sucked out but decided to try and cut inside before pulling the trigger allowing Yoshida the chance to get a toe in and prevent a shot.

West Brom were forced into their first change on 56 minutes as Berahino hobbled off injured to be replaced by Youssouf Mulumbu.

Morrison threatened for the Baggies with a far post header but he looped it across goal and wide.

Saints posed their first real moment of danger on 62 minutes as Tadic won a free kick on the edge of the area on the left hand side. Morgan Schneiderlin whipped in the inswinging free kick which curled wide of the far post.

Daily Echo:

Ben Foster was booked for time wasting as referee Scott tired of West Brom’s tactics to run the clock down before an off balance Elia headed well over the bar under pressure from Dawson.

Saints finally got round the back for the first time on 68 minutes but didn’t take advantage.

Ryan Bertrand was found on the overlap down the left and got to the by-line.

He produced a superb fizzing ball cutback into the six yard but Pelle was too tentative and failed to make any contact despite the ball being just in front of him with West Brom scrambling it behind at the far post.

Daily Echo:

It was a rare chance, and a golden one, that had gone begging.

The Baggies made another substitution on 72 minutes with Stephane Sessegnon coming on for Morrison.

Saints responded two minutes later with one last roll of the dice with Shane Long replacing Tadic.

Schneiderlin curled in another free kick moments later but Foster was able to make a relatively comfortable save diving to his right.

West Brom went straight down the other end and appealed for a penalty as Ideye went down in the box with Fonte holding him off but it was rightly waved away.

Daily Echo:

Darren Fletcher almost killed the game off as a free kick fell his way in the box but he fired narrowly over the bar before Sessegnon as booked for a dive in the box.

Saints managed to create another good chance for Pelle to equalise with five minutes remaining as Mane’s right wing cross was headed into the box by Schneiderlin. It dropped to Pelle on the turn six yards out but he made a terrible contact with his volley and it trickled softly to Foster.

West Brom made a final change with Chris Baird on for Ideye.

There was a bit of late drama as the ball fell to Elia in the area in stoppage time but from a tight angle his well struck effort went wide shortly before the referee blew the full time whistle to condemn Saints to another defeat and another game without a goal.