A brilliant goal from Solly March sealed a superb afternoon’s work for Albion as they cruised to victory at St Mary’s.
Adam Lallana gave us a 15th-minute lead with a header against his former club before Romain Perraud scored an own goal under pressure from March as Albion dominated the first half.
March’s moment to remember came just before the hour when he scored his first goal of the season with a stupendous left-foot strike from 25 yards into the top corner – a goal of the season contender for sure.
James Ward-Prowse pulled one back when he scored from the rebound after Rob Sanchez had parried his penalty but Albion duly secured their fourth away win of the season and once again on the road they hadn’t lost after going in front.
There were two changes to our last Premier League line-up six weeks ago against Aston Villa. Alexis Mac Allister and Danny Welbeck were replaced by Kaoru Mitoma and Joel Veltman.
Eight years ago today Nathan Jones had been in Albion’s technical area for a 2-2 draw against Reading during his two-match reign as caretaker manager. He got a warm reception from the Saints’ fans before his first home league game in charge but it wasn’t long before he was on the edge of his box shouting instructions as Albion got on top from the start.
Brighton dominated possession, played easily through Southampton’s press and got their wide players, in particular Mitoma, on the ball to stretch their defence.
The Japanese winger nearly scored in the third minute, leaving two opponents in his wake as surged into the box from the left but Gavin Bazunu blocked his right-foot shot.
No matter. Albion went ahead through former Saints’ captain Lallana. He fed March on the right and met his cross with a header which Bazunu allowed to squirm through his grasp. Lallana kept the celebrations low key but it was a nice moment for him.
After a quarter of the contest Albion had enjoyed 78% possession and continued to look the more fluid outfit. Ward-Prowse had a free kick opportunity 25 yards out after Samuel Edozie was brought down by March but Sanchez covered the strike as it went a yard wide of the left-hand post.
Southampton began to get a foothold in the game at this stage but Albion doubled their lead on 35 minutes. Pervis Estupian attacked space down the left and his low cross seemed to take a touch off Lyanco. Bazunu failed to claim and, under pressure from March, Perraud turned the ball into his own goal from a yard or so out. Fortunate perhaps, but on the balance of play no more than Albion deserved.
A thrilling break down the left involving Estupinan, Mitoma and Trossard ended with Mitoma heading the Belgian’s cross over the top and in stoppage time it took a brilliant interception in front of his own goal by Perraud to stop March from turning in Mitoma’s cross.
The arrival of Joe Aribo and Stuart Armstrong from the bench livened up the home crowd at the break and the hosts responded by carving out two good chances for Edozie in the space of a minute but he blazed his shot from ten yards, after doing well to create space, before another right-foot effort from similar distance was blocked by Levi Colwill, who had a quietly impressive afternoon in the heart of defence.
But Albion were soon back into their stride and made it 3-0 with a stunning effort by March. Joel Veltman found him in space on the right and he cut in before unleashing a thunderous left-foot strike from 25 yards into the top left-hand corner, with Bazunu helpless. Solly doesn’t get many goals so the celebrations which followed, as Lewis Dunk lifted him towards the 3,000 Albion contingent, would have meant as much as it did to those delirious fans in front of him.
March nearly had an assist on the hour when Mitoma sent a glancing header from his teasing cross a yard wide before Lallana made way for Jeremy Sarmiento.
Southampton found a way back into the game with 20 minutes left. Edozie’s trickery down the left took him past Veltman and when Pascal Gross came in to challenge Edozie went spinning to the ground. It looked like a collision but referee Jones pointed to the spot and although Sanchez did brilliantly to block Ward-Prowse’s penalty with his arm, the rebound fell conveniently for the Saints’ skipper to head into an empty net.
It at least got the home crowd enthused and Sanchez, who had been booked for delaying the taking of the penalty, was involved in an altercation with Che Adams which had the home fans screaming for a red card, but the referee rightly gave Albion a free kick for Adams’ push on Colwill.
Albion saw the game out comfortably enough and could enjoy another celebration with their fans at the final whistle. The victory lifted us into the top six with leaders Arsenal to come at the Amex on the final day of 2022.
Albion: Sanchez, Veltman, Dunk, Colwill, Estupinan, March (Lamptey 83), Caicedo, Gross (Gilmour 90+1), Mitoma, Lallana (Sarmiento 67), Trossard (Ferguson 83).
Subs not used: Steele, Enciso, Undav, van Hecke, Moran.
Referee: Robert Jones