Saints march to salvation

THIS might have been the most dramatic game on the most dramatic day of the most dramatic Championship season in living memory, but Nigel Pearson showed no sign of being perturbed.

The Southampton manager was the calmest man inside St Mary’s after his side completed a remarkable final-day escape from relegation, condemning Leicester to League One in their stead.

Stern John cracked a second-half double to add to Marek Saganowski’s header as Saints came from behind to beat Sheffield United, who had begun the day still harbouring faint hopes of the play-offs.

The final whistle sparked bedlam with a mass pitch invasion greeting the news that Leicester had only managed a draw at Stoke, allowing Saints to leapfrog them out of the bottom three.

“Relief is the overwhelming feeling at this time,” Pearson said. “At a number of points it looked like we were going to come out on the wrong side, so obviously I’m delighted.

“I didn’t know the other scores — some of my staff did but I just wanted to focus on the game. We were up against a side in form and it was never going to be easy.”

Having dipped out of the top flight three years ago, Southampton they were staring down the barrel of third tier football for the first time in 48 years when Stephen Quinn nodded the Blades ahead after 23 minutes.

Richard Wright denied the visitors what could have been a killer second when he kept out Matt Kilgallon’s point-blank header, and moments later Saganowski scored at the far post to send the teams in level at the break.

John fired Saints ahead at the start of nerve-shredding second half, bringing the ball down in front of goal before dispatching it into the roof of the net.

United substitute Jon Stead looked to have consigned the hosts to the drop once more when he stabbed home.

But John’s 19th goal of the season — and comfortably the most important — means St Mary’s will once again be hosting Charlton, rather than Cheltenham, next term.

The striker’s afternoon ended prematurely when he was sent off for a second yellow card 10 minutes from time, but the 10 men held out.

Whether Pearson will still be in charge next term remains to be seen, with former chairman Rupert Lowe poised to take over the club again.

“There are issues which need to be resolved but I’m not in a position to share that information,” he added.

Saints will be meeting Sheffield United again next term, after their lingering hopes of a play-off place were extinguished.

“For a small period at 1-0 we were in the play-offs — and I wish the referee had blown up then,” said Kevin Blackwell, who agreed a permanent contract as Blades manager on Saturday.

SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): R Wright 6, J Wright 6, Powell 5, Perry 5, Surman 6, Viafara 6, Safri 6, Idiakez 6 (Licka 79, 5), Euell 7, Saganowski 7 (Lallana 73, 6), John 8.

Subs Not Used: Davis, Wright-Phillips, Pericard.

SHEFFIELD UNITED (4-4-2): Kenny 5, Geary 6, Kilgallon 6, Naysmith 6, Halls 5, Cotterill 5 (Gillespie 38, 6), Speed 6, Tonge 7, Quinn 7, Hulse 6 (Stead 63, 6), Sharp 6 (Shelton 56, 6).

Subs Not Used: Bennett, Armstrong.

REFEREE: Phil Joslin (Nottinghamshire) 6: Had no choice but to send off John, even if the law is an ass on these occasions.

MATCH RATING: ***** Compelling, chaotic entertainment.