Premiership: Wonder winner or freak goal?

Southampton 0-1 Sunderland

Sunderland manager Peter Reid described Kevin Kilbane’s spectacular match-winner at The Dell as ‘‘a great strike’’.

But despondent Southampton caretaker-boss Stuart Gray insisted: ‘‘We were beaten by a freak goal.’’

Kilbane, with his back to goal, connected with Gavin McCann’s under-hit free-kick with his left foot and the ball soared over keeper Paul Jones and into the net nine minutes into the second half.

‘‘The lad said he definitely went for it and I believe him,’’ said Reid. ‘‘I’m also delighted for him because he has had bit of a sticky patch with us and deserved something like for this for the way he’s kept going.’’

The goal gave Sunderland only their second win in 13 games and still in with an outside chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

Reid said: ‘‘If we can win our last two games Europe is still a possibility. We’ve just got to stay positive.’’

Gray, though, saw Saints fail to score again in the fifth match since he took over from Glenn Hoddle and admitted: ‘‘We can’t seem to buy a goal at the moment.’’

That certainly looked the case when James Beattie raced from inside his own half to lob Sunderland keeper Thomas Sorensen in only the seventh minute only to be given offside.

Gray said: ‘‘The referee saw the hesitation of the linesman with his flag and probably acted too quickly. For me Beattie was easily offside although it is always difficult to judge.

‘‘But it definitely affected our confidence afterwards. We couldn’t get that elusive goal even though we had several one-on-ones with their keeper.’’