Armstrong strikes late as Saints win again

Another late goal, this time from Adam Armstrong on 79 minutes, gave them the three points after Kyle Bartley’s effort earlier in the half had cancelled out Will Smallbone’s opener.

It made it three wins in a row for Russell Martin’s team, who ended the day fourth in the table and kept pace with the sides above them.

The Saints boss made one enforced change for the game, as Mason Holgate replaced Jan Bednarek, who was serving a one-match ban after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.

Ross Stewart arrives for his first matchday as a Saints player (Photos: Matt Watson)

But perhaps the most eye-catching team news was on the bench, where summer signing Ross Stewart was included in the squad for the first time, as the striker returned from a ten-month injury absence to take up a place among the substitutes.

If that was good news, so was what happened five minutes into the game as Saints took an early lead.

It came via a beautiful move, as Charly Alcaraz played a glorious through pass for Stuart Armstrong, whose cutback found his namesake Adam six yards out. The striker’s low shot was well saved, but Smallbone was on hand to fire in the rebound, with his left-footed strike crossing the line before it was cleared by Conor Townsend.

Will Smallbone celebrates his early goal

Saints then had a shout for a penalty turned down on 13 minutes, as Holgate ended up with his shirt being pulled over his head by Nathaniel Chalobah from a corner.

Martin’s side continued to push for a second, and threatened a number of times via through balls for Adam Armstrong, only for him to come out on the unfortunate side of a couple of very tight offside calls.

It continued to be one way traffic, and in the 28th minute Smallbone fired over from just inside the box after Kamaldeen picked him out with a short pass at the end of a lightning-fast move.

West Brom did then come to life in an attacking sense late in the half, and missed a big opportunity in the final minute, as Brandon Thomas-Asante dragged a shot wide from 12 yards when a deflected ball into the area had dropped into his path.

Neither side made any changes at the break, but Saints were forced into one ten minutes after the restart, as Smallbone went down with what appeared to be a knee injury. The midfielder walked off unaided after a period of treatment, but Ryan Fraser was sent on in his place.

Goalscorer Will Smallbone receives treatment during the second half

As the game ticked past the hour mark, the balance of play was certainly far more even than it had been in the first half, with Matt Phillips going very close to an equaliser for the visitors with a shot from the corner of the area that curled just past the far post.

It was a warning for what was about to come, as West Brom equalised on 65 minutes.

Jed Wallace’s cross from the right picked out Thomas-Asante, whose header slammed against the bar, with the rebound being bundled in by Bartley from close range.

Martin had been waiting to make a triple substitution before the goal went in, and he proceeded with the change as Ryan Manning, Shea Charles and Ché Adams were introduced for James Bree, Flynn Downes and Kamaldeen.

But it continued to be West Brom who looked the more likely to score again, and they almost did on 77 minutes, when Darnell Furlong headed a cross to the back post area onto the bar and over.

Yet it’s Saints who are the kings of the late goal in the Championship this season and, although this was probably slightly early by their standards, they once again produced.

Fraser’s teasing, in-swinging delivery flicked off a West Brom head and fell to Adam Armstrong at the back post. The skipper was the coolest man in the stadium, controlling the ball dead and calmly finishing past Alex Palmer in the West Brom goal to give Saints the lead again.

Adam Armstrong celebrates scoring the winner

It was Armstrong’s last involvement in the game, as he went off to a standing ovation and was replaced by Stewart, who received an equally loud cheer as he made his debut for the club.

There were some nervy moments for Saints to see out the game, as Gavin Bazunu made a fine stop deep into added time during a scramble from a corner, before Thomas-Asante had a header deflected over the bar shortly after, but hold on they did to earn a big three points.

Southampton: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Holgate, Harwood-Bellis, Bree (Manning 65), Downes (Charles 65), Smallbone (Fraser 54), S Armstrong, Kamaldeen (Adams 65), Alcaraz, A Armstrong (Stewart 83).

Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Aribo, Edozie, Mara.

Goals: Smallbone (5’), A Armstrong (79’)

Yellow cards: Downes, Holgate, Alcaraz.

West Brom: Palmer, Furlong, Townsend, Kipre, Bartley (Ajayi 82), Phillips (Fellows 82), Dianganga, Chalobah (Mowatt 56), Yokuslu (Molumby 82), Wallace (Sarmiento 82), Thomas-Asante.

Unused substitutes: Griffiths, Pieters, Taylor, Pipa.

Goals: Bartley (65’)

Referee: Tom Nield.

Attendance: 30,160.