New loan signing Marek Sagonowski found him self dropped straight into the deep end by starting up front next to Rasiak for Southampton`s biggest match so far this season. Kenwyne Jones was the man who missed out due to a muscle strain picked up mid week against Sheffield Wednesday. Kelvin Davis was passed fit to play after fears that a mid week knock picked up against Sheffield Wednesday would put him out.
For Derby, Bob Malcolm deputised in place of Gary Teale and former Saint Matt Oakley got a place in the starting 11. New signings Jon Macken and James Mcevely didn`t even get a place on the bench.
First Half
Southampton started the game like a proverbial freight train and new singing Marek Sagonowski nearly opened the scoring inside 25 seconds. A great left wing cross from Rudi Skacel fell to the feet of the pole who turned sharply and shot only for Derby keeper Bywater to turn it around the post. Less then a minute later the new loan signing Sagonowski had another chance to score but this time his shot went just wide from the edge of the box.
Southampton kept up the early pressure and a Gareth Bale cross was nearly clipped in by former Derby player Idiakez but Bywater again turned it around the post.
On 13 minutes Saints got there best chance so far, a Skacel corner should have been put in by Sagonowski but he failed to get clean contact on it, the ball still seemed to be going in anyway but ironically Sagonowski`s strike partner Rasiak appeared to get in the way of the ball going in. It still had enough on it to clip the left hand post and go wide.
It was still all Southampton and on 15 minutes Rasiak saw a shot go inches wide following a good right wing run.
Midway through the first half Saints managed to get into a 4 or 3 counter attacking situation but Idiakez couldn`t get the ball out from underneath his feet and the Derby defence managed to get in clear. Minutes later Derby`s Howard found himself getting a yellow card for a foul on Bale, the resulting free kick saw a Bale cross headed over by Gregorz Rasiak.
On 31 minutes Saints agonisingly hit the post for a second time when Sagonowski unselfishly nodded down a cross only for Viafara to smash a shot against the left hand post; the ball spooned back to Rudi Skacel who somehow managed to fire his header wide.
On 35 minutes Derby were forced into a substitution when Teale came on for Malcolm in an attempt to scupper Southampton`s dominance.
3 minutes of stoppage time were given at the end of the first half as Derby were desperately holding on to the current 0-0 score line.
With the last kick of the first half Rasiak found himself in space in the Derby box, his shot was blocked by the County keeper and fell to Sagonowski whose volley was deflected out for a throw in.
At half time a relieved Derby County left the pitch to head for the dressing room needing massive improvement in the second half.
Half Time Score – Southampton 0 Derby County 0
Second Half
Derby came out to the second half much improved after and almost certain ear bashing from there manager Billy Davies. They looked much brighter and started the early stages of the second half playing some good passing football. Baird was forced into a spectacular clearance from underneath his own cross bar after a Teale cross had put Southampton under pressure.
Both sides made some changes early in the second half, for Derby Fagon came off for Barnes. For Southampton Wright Phillips and Mcgoldrick came on in place of Rudi Skacel and perhaps a bit surprisingly considering how well he was playing, Marek Sagonowski.
Idiakez found got his 5th yellow card of the season early on and will miss next weeks game against West Brom, Derby`s Fagon also got a booking for kicking the ball away after committing a foul on Gareth Bale.
On the hour mark a very clever back heal from former Manchester City man Bradley Wright Phillips Just failed to reach David Mcgoldrick and Derby defender Moore had to put it out for a Saints Corner which came to nothing.
Chris Baird found himself in the referees note book after a late challenge on Derby`s Teale
The second half had become end to end, a great run from Matt Oakley saw the ball into the Southampton box, and a goal line scramble was eventually cleared by Gareth Bale.
With 20 minutes to go a mazy run by Bradley Wright Phillips made space in the box, his shot was deflected by a Derby defender and the ball fell to Rasiak whose shot went wide from the edge of the box.
Derby had an easy chance on 72 minutes when Fagon got above Lundekvam to clip his header onto Pearson who somehow managed to head over the bar from almost underneath it. Saints went straight down the other end of the pitch to win a free kick, Bale took it but his shot went uncharacteristically high and wide over the bar. A minute later Bale had a 20 yard effort go harmlessly into Bywater`s arms.
Southampton made there final substitution on 76 minutes, Nathan Dyer came on for top scorer Gregorz Rasiak. When the game continued a Derby free kick taken by Jones went woefully wide of the post.
The dead lock was broken on 82 minutes by Derby County in controversial fashion when Barnes appeared to run the ball out of play, but the ref allowed the game to continue, he played the ball to Jones whose shot was saved by Kelvin Davis only to deflect out to Steve Howard who slammed it into the roof of the net to make it 1-0 to the away side.
With four minutes to go Derby made a substitution as they put on Mears in place of former saint Matt Oakley.
Four minutes of stoppage time were given for Southampton to try and grab a last gasp equaliser but they couldn`t manage any chances.
Full Time Score -Southampton 0 Derby County 1
Summary
Southampton had so many good chances in the first half of the game, they were unlucky to hit the post two times but they also had many more excellent chances to score. But they lacked that killer instinct and couldn’t quite manage to get the ball in the net. Its hard to question the players effort which was without doubt 100% but it was slightly worrying to see Saints get so many chances and not score.
New Signing Marek Sagonowski looked very promising and was part of almost every Saints chance in the first half, i was not only shocked but also dissapointed to see him being substituted early on in the second half.
To sum up Saints today in one word is easy – Wasteful. And they paid the cost for that with Derby getting yet another late winner.
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