Southampton 4 (2) Fulham 2 (2)
As the final whistle blew here yesterday, James Beattie, jumping for Antti Niemis long punt into the wild winds of Hampshire, caught the ball and huddled it close to his chest. No one else has since been allowed near it. The satisfaction yielded from his hat-trick, which enabled Southampton to overcome a two-goal deficit and win their fourth consecutive match, was all the deeper for the forwards recent travails.
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Tough day at the office for Fulham defender Alain Goma
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Banned from driving for 30 months and ordered to do 100 hours of community service after he was convicted of drink-driving last month, Beatties troubled soul was barely soothed by the loss of his goalscoring touch. A week ago, you would not have considered Southampton a likely source of one of the Premierships most prolific strike partnerships. Yet Beattie, having opened his seasonal account with the winning penalty away to Aston Villa last Monday, and Brett Ormerod, who scored the final goal in yesterdays fine entertainment, have now totalled ten goals between them.
Beatties crime and punishment have been exacerbated by the fact that his drink-driving offence took place when he moved his car 20 yards to a new parking spot. Its been a very difficult time, he said. I always thought I was mentally strong and it would not affect me that much but it did. I know what I did was wrong. It was one minute of madness and I was stupid. The forward said that scoring again had helped lift the pressure.
Gordon Strachan, the Southampton manager, enforced the maximum fine of two weeks wages. Thats the response his team-mates have been looking for because theyve been good to him, Strachan said. But they know hes been good for them, too.
Two years ago, Beattie went on a scoring spree with ten goals in as many games, and last season struck five in five. They tell me he goes on these daft binges, Strachan said, without any detectable irony. He gets right noisy so Ill have to wear my ear muffs for the next fortnight. It just shows that strikers are the most important players at a club.
Beatties heroics enabled Strachans team to recover from a terrible start to enter the top half of the table, overtaking a Fulham side who are showing signs of tiredness after starting their season in July. Yet for a team that had conceded only one goal at home before yesterday, Southampton appeared only too eager to join in the fun and frolics that the blustery weather prompted. Fulham went two goals ahead before Ormerod induced the handball in the penalty area by Alain Goma that allowed the home side a prompt way back into the match.
Lee Clark celebrated his 30th birthday by opening the scoring. Starting his first match since Boxing Day, after calf and Achilles injuries, Clark found space behind Southamptons midfield and his 20-yard shot, deflected off Michael Svensson, brought Fulham the lead.
Southamptons unbeaten home record looked endangered when Luís Boa Morte, a former Saint himself, slid the ball wide to Steve Marlet, who invited Steve Finnan to cross from the byline. Chris Marsden and Fabrice Fernandes both missed the ball to allow Steed Malbranque to score with ease.
Match Stats |
Soton |
Fulham |
Goal attempts |
14 |
7 |
On Target |
7 |
3 |
Fouls |
12 |
19 |
Corners |
3 |
5 |
Offsides |
4 |
2 |
Yellows |
1 |
2 |
Reds |
0 |
0 |
source: www.sportinglife.com |
Beatties penalty was sweetly struck and, confidence soaring, he leapt to head a marvellous equaliser from Fernandess centre three minutes before half-time. Christian Damiano, the Fulham coach, said that a long-ball approach was an easier tactic with which to adapt to the swirling winds, yet Southampton deserve credit for the manner in which they took control.
From Fernandess free kick, Beattie completed his first senior hat-trick with a glancing header. Ormerod was slipped in by Chris Marsden to beat Edwin van der Sar but the plaudits belonged to Southamptons first hat-trick hero in seven years, since Matt Le Tissier scored a treble in Nottingham Forests 4-3 win at The Dell in August 1995. Beatties prize was the match ball; the champagne, surely, he will keep on ice. Caroline Blackmore, Southampton
Defeats are always difficult to stomach, but when youve been leading 2-0 theyre almost impossible. How did we lose that?
Southampton (4-4-2): A Niemi 7 J Dodd 6, C Lundekvam 7, M Svensson 7, W Bridge 7 F Fernandes 7, A Svensson 6, M Oakley 7, C Marsden 6 J Beattie 8, B Ormerod 7 (sub: A Delgado, 79min). Substitutes not used: P Jones, P Telfer, P Williams, J Tessem. Booked: MSvensson.
Fulham (4-1-2-1-2): E van der Sar 5 S Finnan 7, Z Knight 4 (sub: A Ouaddou, 60 5), A Goma 4, R Brevett 4 M Djetou 6 (sub: B Hayles, 63 5) S Legwinski 5, S Malbranque 6 L Clark 7 S Marlet 6, L Boa Morte 5. Substitutes: M Taylor, A Melville, A Stolcers. Booked: Boa Morte.
Referee: M Halsey 7. Attendance: 26,188