Report: Fast-starting Saints beat Baggies
Despite another electrifying start at St Mary's Stadium, it was Southampton's resilience amongst a West Brom fightback which helped secure a fourth successive home victory.
Saints stormed into a two-goal lead inside 17 minutes; Leo Scienza claiming his first St Mary’s goal following a swift counter attack on 12 before Adam Armstrong netted his tenth of the season just five minutes later.
Armstrong’s goalscoring streak continued with his second of the evening on 35 minutes, Finn Azaz using the gap between the West Brom centre-backs to find Tuesday night's captain who finished from inside the penalty box.
But the second half was certainly West Brom's; Karlan Grant scoring their first on 62 minutes before Nathaniel Phillips cut the lead to just one with four minutes remaining.
Despite a nervy St Mary's during the final moments, Saints withstood the West Brom pressure to record a second successive Championship victory.
Eckert made one change to the side which saw off Birmingham City on Saturday, with Joshua Quarshie coming in for Jack Stephens at centre back. There was also just the single change amongst the substitutes, with Welington replacing Cameron Bragg.
Saints had a recent habit of making fast starts at St Mary’s and that’s exactly what happened on this Tuesday night. In the 12th minute a sublime counter saw the first goal of the game. Former Baggie Tom Fellows carrying the ball through midfield before playing in Scienza, who coolly slotted home a first home goal in Saints colours.
Leo Scienza celebrates his first St Mary's goal. (Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
The momentum continued, despite a flash from West Brom’s Callum Styles which just cleared the crossbar on 16 minutes, and soon Saints had their second.
Nathaniel Phillips looked to have control of possession at centre-back just outside his visitors’ penalty area, but was dispossessed by an in-form Armstrong. All Southampton’s number nine had to do then was roll the ball past a helpless Joe Wildsmith in the West Brom net.
After such a fast start it was natural that early Saints dominance would subdue somewhat, with the visitors catching glimpses of an opening back into the game.
Adam Armstrong continued his blistering form. (Photo: Matt Watson)
Styles was involved again on 21 minutes, this time calling Gavin Bazunu into action who dealt with the strike comfortably. Then Grant produced two inviting crosses across the penalty area, neither of which were pounced on by those in green and yellow stripes.
But those faint sights of a way back into the game were vanished on 35 minutes. Finn Azaz the provider this time (his ninth goal involvement in the last seven games), slotting in Armstrong for his second of the evening.
Into the second half and the match began to follow a similar pattern to recent dominant St Mary's first halves. Both sides enjoying spells of possession, but little in the way of clear-cut chances.
As far as the visitors were concerned Grant continued to be the liveliest of their attacking options, drilling in his third inviting cross of the night from the left side; Bazunu getting down to claim before the defence tidied things up.
Grant got a reward for his endeavours on 63 minutes, a low shot from the opposite flank going through a crowded penalty area before finding him at the far post. His left-footed shot finding the back of the net for his first goal since April.
A double change from Eckert was the response, Ryan Fraser on for Fellows and Cameron Archer for Scienza, as the Baggies continued their best spell of the game.
Next to test Bazunu was a header from Isaac Price, an ultimately easy claim for the Saints keeper following Samuel Iling-Junior's cross.
Saints couldn't recapture their momentum from the first half, and had Bazunu to thank again for a succession of saves in the 79th minute.
First came a stop with the shoulder from Krystian Bielik's header. Then came a quick-fire double stop where Bielik was denied again, via a combination of the Irish keeper and his national teammate Ryan Manning, followed by Molumby's header.
These chances proved signs of what was to come, with Phillips rising highest on 86 minutes to cut the lead to just one. A far cry from the first half dominance.
As six added minutes were shown the Baggies continued to dominate possession. Somehow a cross in the 94th minute from the left side found it's way along the box all the way to Iling-Junior at the far post, who could only tap his shot wide of the post with the goal gaping.
But Saints showed their resolve to secure a fourth straight victory at St Mary's Stadium.
Southampton:Bazunu, Fellows (Fraser 63), Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Quarshie, Manning, Downes, Jander (Romeu 87), Azaz (Aribo 87), Scienza (Archer 63), Armstrong (c) (Robinson 75).
Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Stephens, Edwards, Welington.
Goals:Scienza 12’, Armstrong 17’ 35’
Booked: Armstrong
West Bromwich Albion:Wildsmith, Mepham, Phillips, Styles, Bielik, Grant, Diakite (Johnston 76), Heggebo, Price, Iling-Junior, Mowatt (c) (Molumby 39).
Unused substitutes:Unused substitutes: Griffiths, Campbell, Maja, Dike, Gilchrist, Bany, Bostock.
Goals: Grant 62, Phillips 86.
Booked: Diakite, Price.
Referee: Sam Allison
Attendance: 26,586
