JAMES Ward-Prowse ensured practice made perfect by breaking his Premier League duck from the penalty spot.

With Dusan Tadic, the scorer of two penalties this season, on the bench, Ward-Prowse was given the chance to score his first Premier League goal – after Sadio Mane was told to let his teammate have the opportunity.

After breaking his duck in his 70th top-flight appearance, Ward-Prowse admitted: “It’s a big weight off my shoulders.

“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a few years and it’s nice to get the first one out of the way. Sadio obviously got the ball but the message came from the bench for me to take it so I was pleased Sadio gave it to me.

“It was a nice touch from Sadio to let me score and it was good to put it away.”

Ward-Prowse dedicates many hours to practising his free-kicks and also benefited from some spot-kick practice. “I haven’t practised them as regularly as my free kicks but I’d taken a few in the week,” said the midfielder whose firm strike with the inside of his right foot beat Steve Harper’s dive to the left. “I did a few in training and when we had a little five-a-side, a penalty was awarded that I put away.

“So it was good to replicate it in a match. I was a little bit nervous. I think that’s normal because it was my first goal but if you’re confident about the penalty there’s no pressure. I was focused on keeping a cool head and putting it where I knew I could put it.

“Hopefully I’ll get a few more before the end of the season. It’s a good thing to add to my game, the more goals I score the better it is for the team.

“After [losing at Everton] last week it was important to bounce back and get a good win heading into the last six games.

“We’re an ambitious group of players, the club’s infrastructure is set for European football and we as players want to get to the highest point we can and have no regrets.”