Premiership: Beattie lifts Saints off the bottom - report

Middlesbrough 1 Southampton 3

Two-goal James Beattie ended a seven-month drought in spectacular fashion to lift Southampton off the foot of the Barclaycard Premier League and so ease the pressure on boss Stuart Gray.

A mind-numbing match which did little to advertise English football’s top flight as the best in the world suddenly exploded into life from the 60th minute, with Beattie the hero after the hour.

Beattie’s first goals since February and Marian Pahars’ third this season gave the Saints their second league victory in what has so far been a turbulent campaign.

With nearest early-relegation rivals Leicester and Derby both suffering defeats, Jones and his squad returned to the south coast knowing the points has lifted them out of the bottom three.

The victory also brought to an end Middlesbrough’s recent revival as they had taken seven points from nine prior to this afternoon, but for boss Steve McClaren it is back to the drawing board.

Particularly after a first half which had all the hallmarks of end-of-season dogfight etched across it as both sides bored the meagre 26,142 crowd rigid.

If these two teams continue to produce the kind of dismally unattractive football which proliferated the opening 45 minutes then the return at St Mary’s Stadium in March is almost certain to be a relegation nailbiter.

On the early evidence it is no wonder Southampton found themselves rock-bottom prior to kick-off, with little to suggest they had what it takes to stave off the threat of relegation, even at this early juncture in the season.

But after Colin Cooper hit the crossbar with a header on the hour, Southampton then showed they just might have the stomach for survival as out of the blue came a stunning goal just six minutes later.

Wayne Bridge was the provider with a whipped in cross from the left wing for Beattie to finish in style with a sidefoot volley off the underside of the crossbar.

A cautious Gray immediately brought off midfielder Anders Svensson for defender Francis Benali, with McClaren enforcing a triple substitution as Szilard Nemeth, Paul Okon and Carlos Marinelli replaced Brian Deane, Robbie Mustoe and Allan Johnston.

But it proved in vain as Southampton took a 2-0 lead in the 72nd minute, Pahars stroking home his third goal of the season from the spot after he had been brought down by Curtis Fleming.

The two goals in six minutes had remarkably doubled Saints’ total tally for the season in their previous five matches but there was nearly a sting in the tail.

Boro quickly pulled one back three minutes later, with referee Alan Wiley pointing to the spot again after Paul Jones’ challenge on Nemeth, which led to Alen Boksic firing home the penalty.

But unlike last week against Chelsea there was to be no second successive comeback from 2-0 down as four minutes from time came a goal to savour from Beattie.

Former Boro winger Stuart Ripley picked out the awaiting striker in the area whose first touch set up a sweet right-foot strike into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

That led to the remaining Boro fans streaming away in their droves and they will be far from convinced McClaren has what it takes to lift the club above the mediocre.

In part Boro can lay claim to the late absence of skipper Paul Ince with a viral infection for their downfall, underlining just how important he is to McClaren’s future plans.

It remains to be seen whether McClaren will be able to persuade Ince to renew his contract once negotiations are likely to start in the new year.

Veteran midfielder Ince will be wise to review the club’s position in the table at that point, though, when a move and eventual retirement in Italy may prove more favourable than an extended stay on Teesside.