Town’s FA Cup hopes came to a disappointing end with Southampton defeating the Blues 2-1 at St Mary’s. Roy Keane’s men were a touch unlucky to be behind to Wayne Thomas’s 25-yard rocket at the break, but a lacklustre second half display handed the game to the Saints, Michail Antonio adding to the home side’s lead before Pablo Couñago’s late consolation.
In front of just over 3,000 Town supporters, the largest away following of the season, Carlos Edwards returned to the side for the rested David Norris, the Trinidadian coming in on the right with Owen Garvan joining Grant Leadbitter in the centre.
Leadbitter forced ex-Town keeper Kelvin Davis into action in the second minute with a cleverly worked freekick which the former Sunderland man hit on the turn straight at his one-time Black Cats team-mate.
At the other end of the field there was a scare for Town when a mix-up between Jaime Peters and Arran Lee-Barrett almost let in Rickie Lambert, but the Canadian defender got back to clear.
On six Davis rushed out to block at Leadbitter’s feet with the midfielder having got behind the defence. A minute later, Jon Walters flicked Leadbitter’s freekick straight at the Saints keeper.
Southampton might have gone ahead in the 10th minute when new signing Lee Barnard was found in space on the edge of the Town box in the aftermath of a Saints break following a poor Town short corner, but hit his strike too close to Lee-Barrett. On 12 Adam Lallana hit a well-struck shot straight at the Town keeper.
In the 13th minute Damien Delaney forced Davis into a save from another Leadbitter corner.
Town were controlling the game but weren’t creating too much other than from Leadbitter’s set pieces, but in the 16th minute Walters crossed from the right only narrowly ahead of Jack Colback. Jaime Peters sent the ball back in from the left but Colback and Stern John got in another’s way.
The Blues continued to enjoy much of the possession but without carving out too many opportunities.
But the Saints were never under severe pressure and still had their moments and on 31 went in front. A cross was cleared to Wayne Thomas on the Southampton right and the full-back belted a rocket into Lee-Barrett’s top right-hand corner, giving the Town keeper no chance.
Town had a very good opportunity to get back on terms in the 34th minute when Walters knocked the ball down for Colback on the edge of the area but the loanee from Sunderland scuffed his shot through to Davis.
Before the break, Gareth McAuley headed straight at Davis, then the former Town keeper was forced to paw a goalbound Leadbitter corner away from under his crossbar.
The Blues were a touch unfortunate to be behind at the break, having enjoyed the better of the possession, however without creating enough in front of goal, although Kelvin Davis had been the busier of the two keepers. Aside from Thomas’s wonder strike and Barnard’s early effort, the Saints hadn’t particularly threatened.
Town’s best first half performer had probably been Jon Walters, but the skipper was replaced at the break, due to a hamstring injury, Pablo Couñago taking over up front alongside Stern John.
The Blues thought they were back on terms in the 49th minute when a long Edwards throw from the left looked to have been flicked past Davis by Couñago. However, referee Andy Hall felt that there had been no touch on the throw-in and awarded a goalkick.
Stern John headed a Liam Rosenior cross wide, then for the home side Thomas came close to getting his second goal of the game when he was found unmarked at the far post at a corner, but Lee-Barrett blocked.
Tamás Priskin replaced Stern John in the 57th minute, then six minutes later Couñago picked up a yellow card for a somewhat wild challenge midway inside the Town half.
The second half had started very scrappily with the Blues failing to keep hold of the ball and putting themselves under pressure.
On 64 the Saints should have gone two in front when Radhi Jaidi headed over at the far post after the Blues had failed to clear a corner. Moments later, Lee Martin took over from Carlos Edwards, who had looked short on confidence after a few weeks out of the team.
Kelvin Davis showed his weakness on crosses in the 66th minute when he dropped a Leadbitter freekick but the loose ball was cleared.
The home side all but sealed their place in round five in the 73rd minute when a deflected Rickie Lambert freekick was well saved by Lee-Barrett with his feet, but sub Antonio was first to the loose ball to slam it into the net.
Town hadn’t really got going since the break and the loss of Walters, but on 81 Priskin nodded wide at the far post when he should have done better.
Lambert tried to catch Lee-Barrett with a long distance effort after Leadbitter had lost possession in the 87th minute but shot over the bar.
Town finally put a decent move together as the game moved into injury time, Priskin and Martin combining well to create an opportunity for Couñago, who netted his second goal in a week and his third of the season.
The Blues still had most of the five minutes of injury time, but couldn’t conjure up a second late, late goal in a week, Rosenior sending the best opportunity high and wide. Leadbitter was booked for dissent as the game ended with the Blues having been awarded a corner.
Southampton deserved the victory on the strength of the second half in which Town failed to turn up until they scored their goal in injury time. After a promising first half performance, the second period was probably the Blues’ worst 45 minutes of football since the Newcastle game.
The rested David Norris and subbed Jon Walters were both badly missed, while the players who came in failed to impress, Edwards looking short on confidence and Couñago hardly involved until his late goal. Town also failed to make the most of numerous set pieces around the penalty area.
A disappointing FA Cup exit after an uncharacteristically lacklustre performance, leaving Roy Keane and his squad to concentrate on the league during the season’s final months.
Town: Lee-Barrett, Rosenior, Peters, McAuley, Delaney, Leadbitter, Garvan, Edwards (Martin 64), Colback, Walters (Couñago 46), John (Priskin 57). Unused: McLoughlin, Balkestein, Norris, D Wright. Att: 20,446.