MANAGER Russell Martin was frustrated with Saints "lack of ruthlessness" as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Rotherham on Saturday.

Stuart Armstrong had given Southampton the lead inside two minutes before Adam Armstrong had a goal ruled out for offside.

Southampton ended the game with 80 per cent possession and 22 shots on goal. Rotherham's Viktor Johansson produced some fine saves either side of Jordan Hugill's equaliser to keep the Millers in the game.

Speaking to the Daily Echo after the game a disappointed Martin said: "It was a really good performance. Anyone who came today will see we deserved to win.

“We should have been out of sight before Rotherham even scored. It’s really frustrating. We were so good in the first half and we should be 3-0 up.

"We have paid for a lack of ruthlessness. After the delay in the game, we didn’t come out in the second half with enough intensity.

“We were still in control but we didn’t create enough. We made subs because Charly (Alcaraz) couldn’t start today - he was knackered after playing two games.

"Stuey (Armstrong) was on a knife edge - we didn’t want to make too many changes. We knew Kamaldeen (Sulemana) would only have a certain amount of minutes.

“They make a sub, nobody is injured and we throw the ball back to them. Their biggest threat today was goal kicks. It was the only time they could get all their players up the field. When (Jordan) Hugill came on they did it a lot better.

"I’ve just shown the players the goal in the changing rooms. I think it is really important for them to understand the moment that has just hurt us."

Hugill's goal came after Southampton passed the ball back to Rotherham following the restart of play.

Martin added that he tried to pass a message to Che Adams not to give the ball back to the away side.

"We gave them the ball back and they were streetwise," he continued. "They got loads of people up the pitch. If we were going to give it back, we should have kicked it into the corner.

"On Tuesday, Ben Pearson didn’t throw the ball back to us. Today, we enabled them to have their biggest threat in the game and enabled them to have that moment.  

“Even after that (goal) they have one moment because it gets a bit edgy, I understand that, but we should score towards the end. We had a few really clear-cut chances.

“Their goalkeeper has made a few really good saves. It’s a lack of ruthlessness in the box and that one moment where it falls to him and it’s a great finish from Jordan.

“It’s frustrating. He shouldn’t even have that effort. It shouldn’t come to that. It’s been a good week, but the overriding feeling is frustration and anger that we haven’t won that game.

“Anyone who watched that game and looks at the stats will think we should win that game, but we don’t.”