RUSS WANTS SAINTS TO END ON HIGH

Championship

RUSSELL MARTIN has urged his Southampton side to put in a strong finish even though the play-offs appear far more likely than automatic promotion.

Martin (above) admitted out-ofsorts Saints “lacked the creativity and flow” so often associated with his side. But he said: “We need a powerful end to the season. We have to keep at it. We need as many points as possible, to say we have done our best.

“We don’t want to finish flatly. We need a spring in our step, and to do that we have to change and rotate our squad, and get through the remaining seven games.

“We have to keep motivated and energised.”

With two games in hand and second place 12 points away, it is quite a task for Saints, who struggled against a buoyant Blackburn side desperate to stay in the Championship.

Martin said: “We defended well and kept a clean sheet. We’ve done a lot of work in that department, and I was pleased with that aspect of our game.

“But we were too slow with the ball, and we lacked purpose in the first half. We got better, but we didn’t create enough chances.”

John Eustace is making his mark at Ewood Park – in his 12 games in charge, Blackburn have conceded only 11 goals.

Boss Eustace set the team a 50-point target to avoid the drop, and they are just four points off that, with five games to go.

Keeper Aynsley Pears said: “He came in to stop any leaks in defence. His record is a great stat for all of us to be proud of, though we have to finish the job.

“It wasn’t a bad performance. We could easily have nicked it.

“Because of other results, the gap between us and the relegation spots is slightly smaller, but it was a good point.

“The stakes are high. We have all lost some sleep at times but we’re together, and that feeling is great. The job is to stay in this league, and if and when we do that it will be a relief.

“Then that will give us a fresh start next season.”