Rovers revel in Cole's deflected glory

Southampton 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

Southampton were yesterday on the verge of confirming all the good things that had been said of them of late. A goal up and playing against a defiant but apparently defeated Blackburn, they had victory snatched away in the first minute of added time by Andy Cole, who until then had been totally under their control.

Recent events have cast Blackburn in contradictory moulds. There was the complete domination in all but goals of Celtic in the Uefa Cup, followed by a hard slog for a draw with Villa and an even longer one to beat Walsall in the Worthington Cup after extra time and penalties. The obvious question at St Mary's was which face would they show.

Their manager, Graeme Souness gave an explicit answer. "For the first 45 minutes we did everything wrong – we didn't compete. I can't repeat what I said at half time. The performance was as bad as it's been in my time at the club.''

Gordon Strachan's summary was directly opposite. "That performance was as good as it's been since I came here. It must have been horrific for the players to perform that well and not get a win.''

The style, speed and control with which Southampton began and all but ended was spoiled only by the final act and their own inability to exploit their many opportunities. James Beattie, a former Blackburn player himself, was quickly bringing the outstanding Brad Friedel to his knees with a header that the goalkeeper just managed to scramble away for a corner. That set the pattern. For nearly 20 minutes Blackburn were nailed rather than simply pinned in their own half. Friedel saved at the feet of another former Blackburn player, Brett Ormerod, while Cole and Dwight Yorke, at the other end, hardly got a touch of any significance.

By the half hour, Southampton could have been sitting comfortably on a three-goal advantage. Fabrice Fernandes probed with an instinct for the unusual and Chris Marsden frustratingly slid a cross from Ormerod past the post.

Ironically, Southampton had to wait to be offered a helping hand, or more exactly, a foot, from Rovers to achieve the lead their possession had deserved.

In the 37th minute Anders Svensson was thrusting himself into the penalty area as he had several times before and squeezed passed Craig Short who stuck out a boot and brought him down. Beattie fairly hammered in the inevitable penalty. But for two extraordinary reflex saves from Friedel just after half time, Rovers would have been beyond recovery. He had no time to react to close-range shots from Svensson and the ever-dangerous Marsden, but did so magnificently.

Rovers might have been on the back foot but they never ceased to be positive. But they failed in midfield where Southampoton where the first in and out of tackles while in pace, too, they had the edge.

Blackburn tried to play their way back with neat and often attractive second-half passing, but Southampton were the sharper and counter attacked across the full width, and effectively closed down Yorke and Cole.

Rovers' cause was seemingly unnecessarily damaged when in the 76th minute Tugay stood in front of what could only have been a harmless free kick given to Southampton deep in their own half. He made no attempt to move and when Oakley struck the ball it hit him and the referee sent him off for a second cautionable offence.

Southampton settled back to defend – a serious error of judgment since as the game entered the 91st minute, Short played the ball into their penalty area. Substitute Egil Ostenstad tried a cross shot that hit Cole and deflected past Antti Niemi.

Southampton 1
Beattie pen 38

Blackburn Rovers 1
Cole 90

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 30,059