Ward-Prowse closes on Beckham record
MEANINGLESS mid-table end-of-season dead rubber? Not a bit of it. Brighton and Southampton went at this one hammer and tongs in their pursuit of a top-half finish, the realistic ceiling for both clubs’ ambitions at present.
In the end it was Graham Potter and Brighton left feeling the more frustrated after they chucked away a two-goal lead earned through Danny Welbeck’s tap-in after just 74 seconds and a gift of an own goal by Mohammed Salisu.
They also saw a late winner by Pascal Gross disallowed for what looked like a tight offside decision having ceded the total control they enjoyed before the break.
And yet Brighton have now matched their highest points tally in Premier League football — 41 — and look almost certain to improve on their highest finish of 15th.
They also entertained an Amex Stadium crowd who have been starved of goals all season. Brighton had scored just 10 times in the league here prior to this one, so for the fans to see them score twice was a real novelty. Welbeck’s goal — his and the club’s quickest in Premier League football — was their first at home since January 18.
Southampton struggled to get a toehold until deep into first-half stoppage time when James Ward-Prowse fired home yet another trademark free-kick.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men were infinitely better after the break and captain WardProwse further underlined his colossal worth with a well-taken equaliser. He now has 14 direct free-kick goals in the Premier League, just four behind David Beckham’s record.
‘My main motivation is to meet my hero from when I was a kid,’ said the midfielder. ‘If I do get that record, hopefully he’ll reach out — but there’s a long way to go yet.’
Neither side could be too disappointed. Given that neither is at all likely to make Europe or get relegated, this game was as lively as could be expected.
‘They don’t live in a cave, they’re aware of him and aware of the dangers,’ said Potter of the WardProwse threat. ‘You don’t want to give away free-kicks there. But it’s football, it can happen.’
Hasenhuttl added: ‘The free-kick was amazing, it’s super tough for every keeper because they don’t know what is coming up. The second was fantastic play around the box.
‘We stayed alive and in the second half we showed a very good answer.’
Welbeck was presented with a simple finish after Fraser Forster and Salisu collided while failing to cut out a Marc Cucurella cross.
And it was 2-0 when Salisu turned Leandro Trossard’s searching pass past his own keeper.
Ward-Prowse’s low, skidding freekick proved a lifeline for Saints and he levelled with a low drive after Oriol Romeu backheeled into his path.
The Amex was left frustrated when the VAR offside lines denied Gross a winner when he finished well late on but the draw was a fair result.