A hammer blow for toothless Saints
HONEST Russell Martin has acknowledged automatic promotion is now likely beyond Southampton after his side’s lacklustre display at Blackburn saw them stumble to a scoreless draw.
Having fought for a toptwo finish in the Championship for much of the season, Saints’ profligacy in front of goal proved costly in the last-gasp Good Friday draw with Middlesbrough and even later loss to Ipswich on Easter Monday.
Those frustrating results were compounded by a lack of attacking spark at Ewood Park, where fourth-placed Southampton created little against well-drilled Blackburn in a forgettable draw.
“I was positive about the way we defended, about the clean sheet,” Saints manager Martin said.
“We’ve looked so dangerous and creative going forward recently but conceded too many goals, so we did a lot of work on that side of game.
“(I’m) pleased with that side of the game, pleased with the aggression in the team on that side of the game because it was a tough game and big credit to Blackburn.
“They’re fighting with everything they have but I’m really disappointed with the side we have been so good at recently, the creativity, the attacking flow. It wasn’t there today at all.”
Southampton’s inability to win in Lancashire further dented their hopes of automatic promotion, leaving them 12 points behind second-placed Ipswich with seven league games to go.
That run includes trips to Leicester and Leeds, with Martin looking for Saints to build momentum and peak again for the play-offs as they seek an immediate Premier League return.
“The guys still have a brilliant chance to get as many points as possible, so we can all look at each other at the end of the season and go ‘well, we did our bit, it just wasn’t to be this season’,” he said.
“We don’t deserve, none of them deserve, for the season just to finish flatly ahead of what is looking likely to be the play-offs.
“I think it’s really important we build some momentum and we go into it feeling good about ourselves, with a spring in our step and energy, and then the rest will take care of itself I’m sure.”
Martin’s men dominated first-half possession but failed to create clear-cut chances, with Joe Aribo’s header off the crossbar the closest they came.
Rovers star Sammie Szmodics nearly saw an audacious effort from distance come off and the hosts continued to pose problems after half-time as Blackburn boss John Eustace searched for his first home win.
Both teams had chances to win it but a flat-looking Saints came closest, with Kyle Walker-Peters seeing a late shot cleared by Callum Brittain.
At the other end, Kyle Walker-Peters wriggled free in the box only for a block by Brittain – sent off in the reverse fixture – to deny Saints in the 80th minute.
But, apart from that, it was a very dour affair.