Fraser strikes last-gasp winner

Will Smallbone had given Saints a 20th-minute lead, but that was cancelled out within five minutes by Liam Delap’s poacher’s finish.

There was little between the teams for the first hour, but Saints finished strongly, as goalkeeper Ryan Allsop saved superbly from Carlos Alcaraz and Smallbone, while Stuart Armstrong fired over the bar from a position of promise.

Just as the Tigers looked set to hang on for a point, Flynn Downes crossed for Fraser, who was only recently introduced from the bench, and the Scot did the rest with a superbly-taken half-volley in the 95th minute.

Russell Martin made one change to his side that stormed out of the traps against Rotherham a fortnight ago, and really should have seen off the Millers at St Mary’s.

Carlos Alcaraz returned as the spearhead up front, albeit playing the No 9 role differently to Ché Adams, who dropped to the bench, while Taylor Harwood-Bellis was fit to start after injury forced him to miss England Under-21 duty over the international break.

Hull were quick to assert themselves on home soil, confident enough to pass their way out of trouble and build from the back, but Saints were first to threaten an opener.

Stuart Armstrong offered Smallbone a sight of goal 25 yards out, and the midfielder tried his luck with a well-struck shot that took a looping deflection and looked destined for the net until the back-pedalling Allsop helped it on its way over.

Kyle Walker-Peters created Saints' opening goal for Will Smallbone

The hosts responded with a lovely touch from Jaden Philogene to take a high ball away from Kyle Walker-Peters, leaving Delap to run at former Manchester City teammate Harwood-Bellis, who lost his footing.

As space opened up for the striker, he overcomplicated matters by turning twice in the box, tightening his own angle, and Saints were able to block the ball behind as Gavin Bazunu advanced.

This was an engaging contest between two teams wanting to play football in its purest form, trading passing moves and slick counter-attacks.

Saints struck first on 20 minutes when Kamaldeen Sulemana set off on his first run of the day down the left flank.

When his cross was retrieved by Walker-Peters, the full-back left Jaden in his wake with a brilliant run to the byline and kept his composure to pick out Smallbone, who duly steered home the cutback from ten yards.

The lead would prove short-lived, as Hull restored parity within five minutes. Scott Twine’s low cross from the right was designed for Jaden, but ricocheted kindly for Delap to pounce from close range, gleefully slamming the ball home on the stretch.

Now the Tigers had an extra spring in their step, as Jaden sent Bazunu diving to his left to repel his long-range shot, before the resulting corner was volleyed goalwards and headed clear by Harwood-Bellis.

There was another chance when captain Jacob Greaves glanced a header wide, with Saints living dangerously, but the visitors might have reclaimed the lead had Stuart Armstrong committed to a first-time volley from Adam Armstrong’s cross rather than bringing the ball down ten yards from goal.

The impressive Walker-Peters also went close before the interval at the end of another Kamaldeen burst to the byline.

The defender took a touch inside and connected sweetly on his left foot, only to find Jean Michaël Seri in the right place to get his head on a shot that may well have been heading in, particularly judging by the reaction of Walker-Peters, who had his head in his hands.

Carlos Alcaraz was denied by a brilliant second-half save

Hull found space down their right in the opening minutes of the second half through Delap, as Walker-Peters produced a goal-saving tackle to thwart Jaden, who then inadvertently blocked Tyler Morton’s follow-up himself.

Back came Saints as Stuart Armstrong flashed a left-footed effort just wide, as both teams signalled their intentions to keep attacking after the break.

Alcaraz had been quiet on his return to the starting line-up, but only a stunning save denied the Argentinian a goal on the hour mark.

Downes spread the play intelligently to Adam Armstrong, whose low cross from the right was met first time by a deft touch from Alcaraz that was sneaking in before Allsop stooped to get fingertips to the ball and divert it just wide of his right-hand upright.

At the other end, the dangerous Delap was again guilty of indecision when put through on goal and this time did not get his shot away at all, as Bazunu pounced at his feet.

With the final 20 minutes approaching, Martin turned to his bench for the first time to introduce Adams and Samuel Edozie, as Alcaraz and Kamaldeen were withdrawn.

Hull’s commitment to playing out from the back should have landed them in hot water when Smallbone intercepted Allsop’s pass, but Downes’s shot was blocked before Stuart Armstrong blazed over when he had Adams pleading for a pass to his right.

Saints were finishing strongly, and threatened a late winner once more when Downes burst into the box and set up Smallbone, whose placed effort was pushed aside by Allsop, as the midfielder attempted a similar finish to the one that gave Saints a first-half lead.

Fraser’s free-kick from a crossing position also caused unrest in the Hull box, but the sea of black and amber shirts somehow guarded their goal.

There was still time for one last chance though, as some patient play down the right opened the door for Downes to cross and Fraser to finish, sending the 2,000 travelling fans into ecstasy, and Saints up to fifth in the table.

Hull: Allsop, Christie (Coyle 65), Greaves, Jones, Vinagre, Morton, Seri, Twine (Tufan 65), Lokilo, Delap (Allahyar 82), Jaden.

Unused substitutes: Ingram, McLoughlin, Docherty, Sinik, Traoré, Connolly.

Goals: Delap (25).

Booked: Jaden, Christie, Morton, Allahyar.

Southampton: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning, Smallbone (Charles 87), Downes, S Armstrong (Fraser 84), A Armstrong (Mara 87), Alcaraz (Adams 69), Kamaldeen (Edozie 69).

Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Holgate, Bree, Aribo.

Goals: Smallbone (20), Fraser (90+5).

Booked: Manning, Alcaraz, Fraser.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Attendance: 21,524