ORIOL Romeu agreed that Saints’ defeat to Wolves was a game of fine margins, with the Spaniard admitting that his Saints’ effort was “either too late or not enough.”

Despite the 3-1 scoreline, the contest was a game relatively light on offensive action, with Wolves’ first two goals both from set-pieces.

For Saints, an opening flurry of five corners in the first 10 minutes of the game yielded no real shots on goal, with the Hampshire side slowly losing their grip of the game.

Romeu told the Daily Echo: “In terms of shots and chances I think both teams had more or the less the same, probably.

“They scored the ones they had and we didn’t. They were probably more clinical, clever, but they took their chances.

“We didn’t – at 2-1 we had a very good one where Romain hit the post twice. It could have easily gone in, but it didn’t go in. Then they killed the game two minutes after.”

For most of the game the hosts managed to play the match on their own terms, forcing Saints to operate at a slower pace than they are used to.

However, when James Ward-Prowse opened Saints’ account with a wonderful free-kick, the game opened up – setting up an electrifying ending to the match, with both sides bombing down the pitch in search of a goal.

Wolves were the side that found the game’s final conversion, with Saints coming extremely close when Romain Perraud smacked the stanchion with a header.

Speaking about the last five minutes, Romeu stated: “I think we also had chances before, but the fact we scored maybe made them take one step backwards and we felt like we were one step away from it.

“I think their goalie had a very good game as well. He stopped us from scoring. Apart from the set-pieces, they didn’t have many threats.

“It was quite even. Of course, in the end we pushed because we were just one goal behind.

“It was either too late or not enough.”