Saints sink local rivals Pompey

Southampton 3 Portsmouth 0

Southampton’s combination of the sublime and the ridiculous saw off Portsmouth to ensure the red half of Hampshire will celebrate a very merry Christmas.

Saints beat their fierce south coast rivals for the second time this month thanks to three strikes spread across the goalscoring spectrum.

The first, in the 34th minute, was one of the most bizarre strikes of the season.

Jason Dodd’s inswinging corner arced over keeper Harald Wapenaar and when Sebastien Schemmel – standing on the far post – headed the ball against the underside of his crossbar, it rebounded back against his head and into the net.

The Football Association’s dubious goals panel will surely need to decide if Dodd or Schemmel are eventually credited with the goal, but if it goes to Dodd it will be the right-back’s first goal for almost three years and only his the 11th of his 14-year Saints career.

But if the opener represented the ridiculous, there was no doubting the sublime skill of Marian Pahars who wrapped up victory with a beautiful goal after 67 minutes.

The little Latvian sent a 20-yard curler into the bottom corner for his first goal since recovering from 12 months of injury woe.

And James Beattie completed the visitors’ misery in injury time when he met Dodd’s cross with a thumping diving header for his 11th goal of the season.

Gordon Strachan’s side were good value for this win, which hoists them to the lofty heights of fourth place and means they will visit Fratton Park in March bidding to complete a three-match clean sweep against Portsmouth.

Pompey have not won in Southampton for 15 years and Harry Redknapp’s men, for whom elevation to the Premiership was the culmination of chairman Milan Mandaric’s dream, will spend the festive season anchored in the bottom three ahead of a New Year relegation battle.

The south coast derby, which resumed this month after an eight-year break, always inflames passions off the field and a 400-strong police presence was evident in and around St Mary’s.

James Beattie shrugged off an ankle injury for Saints, while Redknapp handed Wapenaar his chance in goal in place of Pavel Srnicek.

Claus Lundekvam nodded over from Saints’ first chance and the home side had a penalty appeal after 24 minutes. Dodd advanced down the flank and delivered a far post cross which Brett Ormerod headed against Hayden Foxe.

The ball struck the Pompey man, possibly against his arm, but referee Jeff Winter waved away shouts for a penalty.

Strachan’s men did take the lead with 34 minutes on the clock, however, through a thoroughly freakish goal.

Dodd whipped in an inswinging corner from the left and the ball arced over Wapenaar.

Schemmel, guarding the far post, leapt to clear but only succeeded in heading against the underside of his crossbar, with the ball rebounding against the back of his head and into the net.

Schemmel’s day was going from bad to worse and he was the first player booked by referee Winter seven minutes after the break for a foul on Marsden.

And Redknapp completed Schemmel’s misery when he hauled him off after 55 minutes, replacing him with Boris Zivkovic.

Ormerod raced goalwards in the 63rd minute and Winter enraged the majority of the crowd by not penalising Foxe for a challenge which left the forward needing treatment for a head injury.

Saints stormed into a 2-0 lead four minutes later, through a piece of sheer class by Pahars.

The Latvian jinked between two Pompey players and dispatched a 20-yard curler beyond Wapenaar’s dive and into the bottom right corner.

Teddy Sheringham had a shot charged down and Niemi saved Alexei Smertin’s shot as Pompey briefly rallied.

But Beattie completed the visitors’ misery in injury time when he met Dodd’s cross with a diving header for his 11th goal of the season, completing their 3-0 victory.