Wilsons combine to send Saints packing
Less than 30 miles separate southa m p t o n and Bournemouth but at st Mary’s last night, the shadow of Portsmouth loomed large.
If this was meant to whet the appetite for what is to come on Tuesday, when saints and Pompey meet in the Carabao Cup, we should be in for a treat.
Fans were treated to three goals, one more disallowed, two penalties — one given, one inexplicably not — and a first win at southampton for Bournemouth.
eddie Howe’s side may be the ugly sisters of south coast rivalries, but this was their night.
First-half goals from Nathan Ake and Harry Wilson proved enough. James Ward-Prowse, once a season-ticket holder at Fratton Park, halved the deficit but saints fluffed their lines on this dress rehearsal.
Throughout the first half they were opened up as Ralphh Hasenhuttl Hasen watched first hiss back four — and then his back ack three — cut apart by a Bournemouth side e spurred on by a visiting contingent only too happy to spoil the party.
The game was barely three minutes old when the chants began. The lyrics unprintable, but t the sentiment clear: r: southampton were coming ing for Portsmouth.
There should have beeneen no shortage of motivation forf either ith side, with three points securing the victor third place — for a few hours at least.
But if saints minds’ were elsewhere, reality soon hit home. On 10 minutes, Diego Rico’s corner was met by Ake, who lost Oriol Romeu and climbed above Kevin Danso to head beyond Angus Gunn. It was the visitors’ first meaningful attack but it punctured the atmosphere instantly
suddenly it was the travelling fans in full voice. suddenly that trip to Fratton Park felt a little less appetising. Hasenhuttl’s hHasenhuttl’s side bbegan the bribrighter, with the fit- again NathNathan Redmond mondRedmond partneringp Che Adams up front. Ward-Prowse miscued a halfvolley wide after neat skill from sofiane Boufal but that was as good as it got. And as frustration grew among the home crowd, so the visitors found more joy. The mood grew darker still when, after 25 minutes, Dominic solanke drove at the defence and fed Josh King, who curled beyond Gunn. Replays showed he was marginally offside and VAR came to southampton’s rescue this time. In the bizarre world of modern football, that proved the catalyst for a brief saints’ resurgence. It didn’t last. Hasenhuttl changed to a back three, but 10 minutes before half-time his side were cut to shreds once more.
Driving from midfield, Philip Billing exchanged passes with King and, from the byline, he pulled the ball back for Wilson to sweep home.
On the touchline, Hasenhuttl could only shake his head. His side looked ready to crumble any time Bournemouth pushed forward. Redmond was a rare bright spark and shortly before the break he tested Aaron Ramsdale from outside the box, but the goalkeeper was equal to it.
saints were booed off at the break and Hasenhuttl acted immediately, bringing on Ryan Bertrand for Danso. Then, as in the first half, Ward-Prowse missed a glorious chance — his volley flying just over Ramsdale’s goal. It wasn’t a miss he rued for long. seven minutes into the second period, Adams drove at the defence and drew a needless tackle from steve Cook. Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot and Ward-Prowse converted.
Four minutes later, the referee was called into action again. This time King went down in the box under a challenge from soares. No foul said Kavanagh. Replays showed it was clearly and obviously the wrong call. But still nothing doing for VAR official Graham scott.
Tempers began to fray and Rico was lucky to escape punishment for a slap on soares.
As the seconds ticked away, Callum Wilson applied the gloss after a terrible mix-up between Bednarek and Gunn to seal three big points for the visitors.