Report: Archer on target again as Saints win late at Swansea

It looked as though Saints’ winning run would end at seven, a result that would have heavily compromised their automatic promotion hopes, but Archer’s sweetest of first touches off the bench – a sizzling right-footed volley – sent the away end into raptures in South Wales.

Saints had fallen behind to Marko Stamenić’s close-range opener in the 20th minute, a goal that highlighted Saints’ strangely slow start.

But half-time substitute Shea Charles drew the visitors level 12 minutes into the second period, before Archer struck his second goal in two games to serve another reminder to their promotion rivals that Saints are still very much in the fight for a top-two finish.

Tonda Eckert continued to freshen up his starting line-up, making a further six changes after five for the midweek victory over Blackburn at St Mary’s.

Finn Azaz was fit to return to the XI in front of Flynn Downes and Caspar Jander in midfield, with Leo Scienza back on the left and Ross Stewart leading the line.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis captained the side in the absence of Jack Stephens, as Nathan Wood was handed a start as one of three former Swans returning to his former club, while Cameron Bragg, Charles, Tom Fellows, Archer and Cyle Larin were back among the substitutes after starting the Blackburn win.

Nathan Wood came into the side to make his first league start since January

Saints enjoyed plenty of control in the first 20 minutes, but neither side were able to land an attempt at goal before Stamenić found the opener.

Azaz went into the book for bringing down Gonçalo Franco, which was perhaps a sign of Saints struggling to find their usual rhythm, and two minutes later the visitors found themselves behind.

Receiving the ball from a throw-in on the left, Jisung Eom delivered a deep cross that was headed back across goal by Žan Vipotnik, missed by captain Ben Cabango, and gleefully fired home by Stamenić to make the breakthrough.

Swansea instantly followed up with a long-range shot from Melker Widell that had to be beaten away by Daniel Peretz, before Stewart felt he was brought down in the box for a penalty that never came.

When Franco booted the ball at Scienza with the Brazilian down on the floor, Saints were starting to lose their cool, and things nearly boiled over when Downes and Widell grabbed a handful of each other’s shirts, leading to a mini melee and a booking for both players.

Saints’ ending to the half was more encouraging, as James Bree flashed a low ball across goal before Swansea keeper Lawrence Vigouroux looked uncomfortable under a Harwood-Bellis cross.

Vigouroux had hardly been tested, but would be called into action two minutes before the interval from Saints’ best moment of the half, as Bree sent him sprawling to his right to thwart his low shot from Matsuki’s lay off.

Leo Scienza darts between two defenders

Eckert’s response to a strangely off-colour first half, which ended with a wayward shot from Stewart, was to drag off Downes, who had been treading a disciplinary tightrope, as the in-form Charles took his place in midfield.

Straightaway there was more intensity about the visitors, now attacking towards the sold-out away end, as Ryan Manning found Jander in the box, whose shot deflected behind for a corner, which led to a goalmouth scramble and a Matsuki volley flooring Franco.

Saints might have been in more trouble when Wood pulled back Eom right on the edge of the penalty area, leaving the natives incensed when referee Oliver Langford waved play on.

But this was undeniably more like it from Eckert’s side since the restart, as Stewart forced a tip over from Vigouroux before Charles drew Saints level.

Another Saints corner saw Manning spread the ball wide to Azaz, whose near-post cross was flicked on by Scienza and headed home by Charles for his third goal in six games.

Shea Charles heads Saints level 12 minutes into the second half

Saints kept pushing, as Manning drilled a low ball across goal just beyond onrushing compatriot Azaz, before Eckert sent on Larin in place of Stewart midway through the second half.

Swansea still wanted a winner of their own, and only a brilliant block from Wood prevented substitute Gustavo Nunes giving the home team their lead back.

Meanwhile, Larin slid in but could not quite reach Scienza’s teasing cross, which almost found the far corner untouched, before Bree headed over from another half-chance.

Eckert left it late to call on Archer, who replaced Bree with only two minutes of normal time remaining, but that was enough time to make the difference, as Scienza’s clever backheel released Jander, whose left-footed cross was brilliantly volleyed home by Archer at the far post, beating Vigouroux and the covering defender on the line, as Saints celebrated another dramatic victory.

Swansea City: Vigouroux, Parker (Ward 61), Cabango (c), Burgess, Tymon, Franco, Cullen (Nunes 61), Stamenić (Fulton 73), Eom, Widell (Yalcouyé 61), Vipotnik (Idah 68).

Subs not used: Fisher, Cooper, Walta, Ronald.

Goal: Stamenić (20).

Booked: Franco, Widell.

Southampton: Peretz, Bree (Archer 88), Harwood-Bellis (c), Wood, Manning, Downes (Charles 46), Jander, Matsuki (Stephens 90+1), Azaz, Scienza (Edozie 90+1), Stewart (Larin 68).

Subs not used: Long, Welington, Bragg, Fellows.

Goals: Charles (57’), Archer (90’).

Booked: Azaz, Downes.

Attendance: 17,776.

Referee: Oliver Langford.