Report: Saints undo Derby with comeback win

After spurning a flurry of half-chances, Saints fell behind for the first time in five matches when Carlton Morris showed a poacher’s instinct on 38 minutes, enough to separate the two sides at the halfway stage.

Not tasting defeat since January, Saints weren’t looking for that change and a determined start to the second half yielded results in the space of seven second-half minutes.

A quick counter was brilliantly finished off by Leo Scienza for his seventh of the season, before Taylor Harwood-Bellis completed the comeback with an unstoppable header from a Ryan Manning delivery.

The hosts had chances to put the game beyond doubt in the closing stages, but stayed firm to move 17 unbeaten and move up a place in the play-off places.

Having made six changes for the midweek mauling of Wrexham, Tonda Eckert made four alterations to his starting eleven for the return to St Mary’s.

Caspar Jander came in for Shea Charles behind a rotated front three of Scienza, Tom Fellows and Ross Stewart, as Kuryu Matsuki, Sam Edozie and Cyle Larin dropped to the bench.

The restored attacking trio nearly combined for the opener inside a minute, as Stewart released Scienza into space down the left. The Brazilian’s square ball found Fellows at the back post, but a wayward first touch saw the chance fizzle out with it.

Leo Scienza started the comeback (Photo: Matt Watson)

Brimming with confidence having won the last five games in a row, Saints patiently awaited their next opportunity, which fell to the man who loves playing at St Mary’s the most.

Involved in eight goals in his last 12 outings in SO14, Finn Azaz was exactly who the hosts wanted on the edge of the box when Jander’s industrious work won back possession.

Faking a shot to send Dion Sanderson and Matt Clarke to the deck, the Irishman uncharacteristically lacked composure with the finish as his left-footed effort bobbled wide.

As the half-hour mark approached, it was Saints’ number 10 again who had the chance to break the deadlock.

Jander once again instigated the move with a driving run from midfield, eventually finding Stewart who laid the ball into the path of the onrushing Azaz. This time his effort from 18 yards was drilled straight into the arms of Richard O’Donnell.

On the south coast for the first time in the league since 2012, it took the Rams a while to familiarise themselves with their surroundings.

Morris and Jaydon Banel both momentarily looked like they could pounce on a loose ball in the six-yard box from Lewis Travis’s cross, only for Harwood-Bellis to lace the ball upfield.

Growing into the half, John Eustace’s side took the lead eight minutes before the break through their top scorer.

Joe Ward’s in-swinging corner was helped onto the back post where Morris was on-hand to rifle into the roof of the net to break the deadlock.

In the unusual position of trailing, Saints looked for an instant response as Harwood-Bellis headed Manning’s deep free-kick wide, forcing the hosts to head into the interval behind.

A rather tepid start to the second 45 minutes almost burst to life when Scienza picked out James Bree on the edge of the box, but with the Northam End waiting to roar, the full-back could only slice his effort wide of the target.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis netted the winner at St Mary's (Photo: Matt Watson)

Bombarding the Derby box with crosses, a red and white shirt had to be picked out eventually, and it was as the hour-mark approached.

Manning’s cross from the left was allowed to bounce before Fellows snuck in at the back post, although he was only able to head over the bar after craning his neck to make contact.

Those inside St Mary’s could feel the importance of the next goal, and big chances at each end saw the momentum quickly swing.

Threatening to double their advantage, Sammie Szmodics had Daniel Peretz at full stretch to push his driven effort away from the bottom corner, which the hosts quickly turned into a devastating counter.

Jander again led the charge, driving over halfway before finding the ever-available Azaz, who quickly shifted the ball left to Scienza. Moving the ball onto his right foot, the winger then curled a sumptuous effort into the far corner to leave O’Donnell no chance.

Breaking the Rams’ rearguard action, Eckert could smell blood and freshened up his attack in the form of Larin and Matsuki.

Saints move up to fifth in the table (Photo: Matt Watson)

Now in the ascendancy, the comeback was complete just seven minutes after levelling as Saints made a set-piece of their own count.

Manning’s delivery from midway inside the Derby half on the left sailed perfectly over the head of Clarke to find Harwood-Bellis 12 yards out, whose header bounced beyond O’Donnell in front of a bouncing Northam End.

Now in position to claim a sixth straight win in all competitions, Edozie and Charles came off the bench to bolster the hosts’ hopes.

Bree almost teed up a game-deciding third when his low cross flashed across goal inside the final quarter-of-an-hour, but the two goals proved to be enough to keep Saints march up the table continuing in impressive fashion.

Southampton: Peretz, Bree (Wood 87’), Harwood-Bellis, Stephens (c), Manning, Downes, Jander, Fellows (Matsuki 64’), Azaz (Charles 75’), Scienza (Edozie 75’), Stewart (Larin 64’).

Unused substitutes: Long, Welington, Bragg, Archer.

Goals: Scienza (62’), Harwood-Bellis (69’).

Bookings: Larin.

Derby: O’Donnell, Ward, Sanderson, Clarke, Johnston (Forsyth 67’), Ozoh (Langås 67’), Travis (c) (Salvesen 84’), Szmodics, Clark (Fraulo 9’), Banel (Eames 67’), Morris.

Unused substitutes: Vickers, Batth, Gordon, Allen.

Goals: Morris (38’).

Bookings: Sanderson, Fraulo.

Referee: Andrew Kitchen.

Attendance: 31,206.