Wolves too fierce for Saints

First half goals from Sam Vokes, Jody Craddock and a penalty from David Jones sent the Saints back to the south with relegation staring them straight in the face.

On a wet and dull day in the Black Country, Wolverhampton Wanderers steam rolled the Saints in the first forty-five minutes.

Southampton got off to the worst possible start, when Sam Vokes headed home David Jones' corner in the first minute.

Things went from bad to worse when Wolves doubled their lead just minutes later.

A simple corner routine allowed David Jones with too much time to find Jody Craddock un-marked who glanced his header pass the diving Kelvin Davis.

Southampton tried to get back into the game, but the slippery surface was hard for the Saints to play their football, and on 15 minutes minute Saganowski headed just past Wayne Hennessey`s post from a Jan-Paul Saeijs free kick.

Three minutes later the home side were gifted a penalty when Saganowski tripped Edwards on the edge of the box, after a sly free kick outwitted the Saints.

David Jones converted the spot-kick into the top right hand corner to give Mick McCarthy's side a 3-0 lead with just 18 minutes gone.

The home fans then had a scare when Matt Jarvis nearly guided the ball past Hennessey on 22 minutes.

Wolves took their foot off the pedal and cruised their way to the interval, with Southampton offering not a lot in terms of a response.

Half Time: Wolves 3 - 0 Southampton

Mark Wotte made two changes, replacing Rudi Skacel and David McGoldrick with Bradley Wright-Phillips and Jason Euell.

Four minutes after the re-start Southampton had a golden chance to get themselves back in the game, but Saganowski`s left footed shot was well saved by Hennessey`s feet. The re-bound fell to substitute Jason Euell, but the Jamaican couldn`t convert.

Marlon Harewood was introduced on 60 minutes and the loanee couldn`t make contact with Foley`s cross with his first touch.

With 20 minutes to go Wright-Phillips did extremely well by terrorising the Wolves defence, only to see his effort sail wide of Hennessey`s post from 10 yards out.

Wotte made his last substitute on 72 minutes, taking off French Under-19 international Morgan Schneiderlin and bringing on England Unde-21 international Adam Lallana.

The league leaders strolled through to the end to record their 13th home win, making an eight point gap between themselves and Sheffield United in third place.

The Saints on the other hand, failed to take advantage of their opportunity to get out of the bottom three, and next up for the Saints is a home tie with Crystal Palace on Easter Monday.

David Jones - His deliveries for the first two goals were inch perfect, and his penalty was unstoppable. Hennessey, Foley, Craddock, Berra, Hill, Edwards, Henry, Jones, Jarvis, Vokes, Keogh. Subs: Higgs, Stearman, Ward, Reid, Harewood. Davis, James, Perry, Saeijs, Skacel, Smith, Wotton, Schneiderlin, Surman, McGoldrick, Saganowski. Subs: Forecast, Liptak, Lallana, Euell, Wright-Phillips.

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