Saints can’t get past the Adrian wall
SOUTHAMPTON went into last night’s match hoping that the right combination of results would narrow the gap between themselves and second- placed Manchester City to a single point.
But instead they had to endure an evening of frustration as West Ham overcame the second- half sending off of goalkeeper Adrian by erecting a defensive wall to grab a point.
The fi rst half belonged to Southampton, who twice went close to an early breakthrough as their speedy wide men, Eljero Elia and Sadio Mane, played one- twos through the defence.
When Mane collected Steven Davis’s clever back- heeled pass to dribble around James Tomkins and knock the ball past Adrian, Carl Jenkinson had to step in smartly to clear.
The Hammers backline that had been exposed by a high ball late in the 1- 1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday was nearly undone again when Florin Gardos headed goalwards following Davis’s free- kick only for Cheikhou Kouyate to clear off the line.
Alex Song captained the Hammers in the absence of the injured Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan, and with Andy Carroll on the bench and Carlton Cole their lone attacker, they struggled to make an impression up front.
Their only fi rst- half effort on goal arrived when Morgan Amalfi tano’s volley was headed away by Davis.
The pace of Elia caused problems and he came close to setting up a goal in the
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38th minute, catching Song in possession as he tried to dribble out of trouble on the edge of the penalty area.
The ball ran to Graziano Pelle, whose back- heeled fl ick gave Mane a shooting chance, but his curling effort went wide.
It seemed only a matter of time before Saints broke through, and they should have been ahead eight minutes into the restart as Mane found Pelle 10 yards out.
However, the Italy forward could only scoop his shot on the turn harmlessly into the hands of the relieved Adrian.
And just past the hour West Ham handed the home side a numerical advantage when Adrian tried to dribble the ball past Mane and then, trying to rescue the situation, handled the ball as it ran away from him outside the penalty area and was sent off.
However West Ham seemed to take inspiration from adversity, mounting a spirited backs- to- thewall defensive effort to give Sam Allardyce another draw against one of the top sides after frustrating United in their previous game.