Saints just can’t take shine off Mat finish
NOT even the power and strength of Storm Dennis could deny Matej Vydra his moment of glory.
The swirling wind and driving rain had made any kind of consistently flowing football impossible at St Mary’s. There were occasional glimpses of skill as the elements made any kind of long pass a lottery… sometimes the ball falling short, more often than not travelling too far.
But on the hour mark came the cameo from Vydra. Jeff Hendrick hit a 35-yard pass and the Czech gathered possession, accelerated to the left and then produced an unstoppable effort that left Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy helpless.
‘The lads were buzzing for him,’ said Burnley manager Seam Dyche. ‘He has had to be patient and wait for his chance and he has done that. There was talking of him leaving in the January transfer window. Not from me there wasn’t. I want him here.’
The weather played its part inside the first two minutes after Burnley forced a corner. Ashley Westwood drove the ball low and hard and Southampton striker Danny Ings — guarding the near post — assumed it was going straight out for a goal kick. For someone who habitually knows his way around a penalty area, Ings got it terribly wrong as he watched in horror as the ball flew into the Southampton net.
‘He thought it was going wide,’ said Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl. Ings is far more at home at the other end of the pitch and he showed that in the 18th minute.
He shuffled across the edge of the area and then produced a stunning finish to leave Nick Pope with no chance for his 15th goal of the season.
But it was Vydra’s day. He started on the bench. Not even an injury to regular first choice Ashley Barnes could earn him a starting place.
Indeed, it was an injury to Chris Wood that provided his opening yesterday. He took his chance and the message from Dyche was clear: ‘Up to you now.’
Southampton paid the price for not making the most of their first-half superiority. The closest they came was when Jack Stephens hit the bar with a glancing header.