Report: On-song Saints too strong for Leicester
Southampton’s fine form continued as a fourth straight win was collected courtesy of a 3-0 win over Leicester at St Mary’s in the Sky Bet Championship.
Falling short of Saturday’s five-goal first half haul at Charlton, Saints were still in electric form in the opening 45 minutes, racing into a three-goal lead.
Ryan Manning twice provided perfect deliveries for Taylor Harwood-Bellis to head home, as Finn Azaz registered his fifth goal contribution in four games in between.
A difficult half for the visitors was compounded by the dismissal of Olabade Aluko, leaving a bleak looking second half for the Foxes.
Finn Azaz scored his fourth goal in as many games
In action for the second time in four days, interim manager Tonda Eckert made two tweaks to the side that dispatched the Addicks at the weekend.
Joshua Quarshie started his first match in a month in place of captain Jack Stephens, whilst the experience of Flynn Downes was preferred to Cameron Bragg in the middle of the park, despite the Academy graduate making an impressive first senior start at the Valley.
In rampant mood in the capital three days ago, Saints looked to be quick out of the blocks back in SO14, as Tom Fellows forced 18-year-old debutant Aluko - in at left-back for the experienced Ricardo Pereira - into an important block just two minutes in.
The youngster remained embroiled in the early action, picking up a caution for a cynical foul on Leo Scienza as the Brazilian looked to race away, before seeing two quickfire efforts from a scramble in the box brilliantly blocked on both occasions by Harwood-Bellis.
A telling contribution defensively, the England international’s next involvement was to give Eckert’s side the lead with their first meaningful attempt on goal.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed home a first half brace
Manning won a free-kick wide out on the left, dusting himself off to curl in a virtually undefendable cross that Harwood-Bellis emphatically headed back across goal and into the far corner.
While St Mary’s still roared in celebration, the Foxes almost struck back. Stephy Mavididi’s measured cross from the left found Jordan James, whose header was clawed away from the bottom corner by a sprawling Gavin Bazunu.
The Irishman’s intervention proved telling, as just three minutes later the hosts’ lead was doubled.
Winning possession back on the edge of their own box, Saints launched a devastating counter as Manning and Adam Armstrong quickly combined to set Scienza scurrying into the Leicester half. Isolating Wout Faes, the winger bided his time before slipping in Azaz, who’d darted across from the far side, taking a touch inside the box before blasting past Asmir Begovic for his fourth goal in as many games.
Making something of a habit of action-packed opening 45 minutes, Saints were boosted further when Aluko’s night was brought to a premature end on 33 minutes, with the teenager shown a second yellow card for dragging back Tom Fellows.
Now without full-back opposition on the right flank, Fellows went close to his first goal in red and white, darting on the outside before firing just over the bar.
Sensing the chance to put the result beyond doubt before the break Scienza was denied a stunning solo goal by an equally stunning Begovic save.
Tonda Eckert picked up a fourth straight win as interim manager
Cutting in from the left with devastating effect, sitting down numerous defenders in blue, the Brazilian’s shot from 12 yards was somehow turned over the bar by a strong Bosnian wrist.
The veteran keeper was hapless soon after, though, as the devastating combination of Manning and Harwood-Bellis combined again, this time from a corner, as the defender headed home his second of the night to conclude another perfect first half display.
Looking to get in on the action after the restart, Armstrong twice went close in front of an expectant Northam End.
Turning Manning’s low cross just wide, Saints’ top scorer was then denied by a close range Begovic save after the keeper parried Scienza’s curling strike, as Eckert’s side showed no sign of letting up.
Afforded the luxury of being able to rest players, Joe Aribo and Welington replaced the impressive duo of Azaz and Manning for the final 25 minutes, around the time Downes picked up a fifth yellow card of the season that will see him miss Saturday’s trip to Millwall.
With Leicester keen to avoid further damage and with Saints not too deterred by the drop in tempo, Eckert looked to his bench once again for the final 15 minutes as Damion Downs and Jay Robinson were introduced before a Bragg cameo in the closing stages.
Something of a non-event in the second half due to the effectiveness of Saints' first half display, a first win in five over the Foxes kept the hosts' surge up the table in full swing.
Southampton: Bazunu, Fellows (Robinson 76’), Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Quarshie, Manning (Welington 67’), Downes (Bragg 88'), Jander, Azaz (Aribo 67’), Scienza (Downs 76’), Armstrong (c).
Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Stephens, Edwards, Archer.
Goals: Harwood-Bellis (18’, 42’), Azaz (23’).
Booked: Downes.
Leicester City: Begovic, Choudhury (c), Vestergaard, Faes, Aluko, Skipp, Winks (Page 81’), James (De Cordova-Reid 57’), Fatawu (Soumaré 46’), Mavididi (Ayew 46’), Daka (S Thomas 68’).
Unused substitutes: Vieites, Pereira, Monga, Carranza.
Booked: Aluko.
Red card: Aluko.
Referee: Gavin Ward
Attendance: 25,921
