Pahars pots penalty winner for Saints

Southampton 1, Everton 0

Possibly the key moment in the game Came in the 56th minute when Gordon Strachan sent on Kanchelskis and Pahars in a double substitution just after Everton had gone close when Radzinski sped clear on the left and saw Jones brilliantly defy his low shot. Campbell followed up on the rebound but only managed to jab it into the side-netting.

That was another big escape for Southampton on a lucky night for Strachan’s side, and it was the Saints who stole the lead in the 72nd minute from a dubious penalty by Pahars after the little Latvian went tumbling in a clash with Weir who furiously confronted the striker and was booked.

Pahars sent Gerrard the wrong way with a perfect spot-kick.

Everton had looked the sharper throughout. David Weir and Tomasz Radzinski spurned glorious opportunities to give injury-hit Everton a clear lead in the first half, but Everton almost paid a high price when Saints came out of their shell to pile on relentless pressure at the end of the first period.

Radzinski looked certain to put Everton ahead after a superb piece of work in the second minute, but after pouncing on Kevin Campbell’s low pass into the area, sweeping past Bridge and then committing keeper Paul Jones with a clever feint, he inexplicably fired over the bar from eight yards.

Two minutes later Ormerod was just off the mark for Southampton with an athletic overhead shot which thundered over the bar following Bridge’s fine run and cross.

As the action warmed up there was an amazing scene on the touchline involving the fourth official Steve Dunn, a police officer and Saints' boss Strachan.

It was Strachan who appeared to call on the policeman after a furious row with Dunn and when referee Steve Bennett briefly stopped play and joined in, the Scot finished by giving Dunn an old-fashioned finger-wagging before taking his seat again on the touchline.

Weir did well to get in the way of Fabrice Fernandes’ powerful shot, but Everton were giving just as good as they received, forcing a flurry of corners and from one of them forcing Dodd to head off the line from Gravesen’s in-swinger which threatened to sail in.

Paul Williams did well to get back and help Jones keep out the persistent Radzinski at the expense of another corner in 39th minute.

SOUTHAMPTON: Jones, Dodd, Lundekvam, Williams, Bridge, Fernandes, Anders Svensson, Marsden, Delap, Beattie, Ormerod.

EVERTON: Gerrard, Hibbert, Weir, Weifeng Li, Unsworth, Alexandersson, Gravesen, Tie Li, Pembridge, Radzinski, Campbell. Subs: Watson, Rodrigo, Rooney, Gemmill, Linderoth.

Referee: S Bennett (Kent)