Southampton 0 - West Bromwich Albion 3

Summary:

With five games left of the season and both sides looking safe you could be forgiven for expecting a pretty drab affair. But we're talking about Albion here and doing the expected thing is never something that's come naturally. Billy Jones dropped to the bench despite his excellent performance last week and Chris Brunt's injury saw him left out altogether with youngster Donervorn Daniels gaining some matchday experience on the bench.

Having become known for needing to concede a goal before starting to play, it was nice to see them take the game to their hosts in the first half and go ahead in just the sixth minute when Marc-Antoine Fortun? stabbed home from close range. Even then, you may have had the feeling that things might peter out in the second half as the opposition reacted and improved...

No such outcome, however. Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead seven minutes after the hour mark when he received the ball from Fortun? and rounded the keeper. A few minutes later Gaston Ramirez, on as a half time substitute for Jack Cork, elbowed Shane Long and Fortun? reacted angrily, both players receiving a red card.

Long made it three for Albion when he put away Lukaku's through ball with just under a quarter of an hour left, but the action didn't stop there as Danny Fox received the third red card of the game five minutes later for a two footed challenge on Steven Reid.

The result keeps Albion in eighth place with a six point gap to Swansea in ninth, although the Swans have a game in hand. It also sets the record for Albion's highest number of Premiership wins (14) and points (48). Elsewhere, a home defeat for Wolves by Burnley left them likely to be relegated to League One and their fans marked the occasion the only way they know - violently.

Bobby Hope:

Well, can't really knock the performance or the result. Virtually a home game for me because of where I now live so went there with some other Baggies from the not so beautiful south - great day and night had by all!

Liked lots of things about the game - SC's team selections and shape and attacking intentions right from the start. Some very good football played to and in all honesty it could have been 5 or 6 easily. One terrific move in the first half with back heels and flicks from Dozza & Mozza before Dorrans sets up Lukaku perfectly for a left footed curler into the far corner - not converted. Lukaku missed another just before half time. Thought the ref had a good game too on his PL debut - not many send three off let alone on a debut!! All correct decisions in my opinion and he was right on the spot for the first goal too.

I thought MAF had lost the ability to hold the ball up but his strength, control, turn and pass for the second was terrific. Longy ran himself into the ground again and got a deserved goal after Lukaku had eventually converted following MAF's great work.

Another double and a PL record with 4 games left - can we really complain? Yes! Should we? No. Despite an up and down second half of the season we are still punching above our weight being led only by the two Mancunian greats, three London giants and two Merseyside legends. Well done boys - should be a good night tonight at the 'do'.

I even feel sorry for Wolves!! Ha ha!

Davo from Dudley:

What a day out. The team played very well all round, the supporters were excellent and I thought that for his first game in the Premiership, the unfortunately named referee, a certain Mr Madly did very well. Apart from a couple of advantages he didnt play, I thought he was excellent.

It was nice to see Dorrans back in the middle, where in my opinion, is his best position. I also hope that a moments madness by MAFF doesn't affect his chances of being offered a new contract, he's now banned for 3 games which is where he could have impreesed a bit more.

An excellent away win gave us record number of wins and a record number of points in the premiership. Well done to all concerned, both on and off the field. And of course the excellent fans we have.

Roll on next season, I for one, can't wait. COYB!!