City: Simonsen, Hoefkens, Higginbotham, Fortune, Griffin, Lawrence (Rooney, 86), Russell, Diao, Martin (Eustace, 75), Parkin (Paterson, 66), Sidibe. Subs Not Used: Hoult, Zakuani.
Southampton: Davis, Baird, Lundekvam, Powell, Bale, Guthrie (Skacel, 77), Wright (Pele,12), Viafara, Surman, Rasiak(Wright-Phillips, 78), Saganowski.Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Best.
A home win at last - and a vital one at that against play-off chasing rivals Southampton. It is a result which keeps the Potters' season alive.
We have waited since December 30th for a home win in the Championship, and when City went behind after sixteen minutes, the match had a look of deja-vu and a repeat of recent games at the Britannia.
Fortunately, things were to turn out differently. Jonathan Fortune equalised before the break and then Lee Martin popped up with the winner with just over a quarter of an hour left.
It was one of those days when the result was more important than the performance, for the game was often lacking in fluency, but the three points were crucial.
Both sides needed the win, and as a result the Saints were more prepared to play a more open game than some of City's recent opponents.
Southampton in fact had scored more goals away from home (31) than any other side in the Championship but today both sides had difficulty in mounting incisive attacks in the last third.
As a result, clear-cut opportunities to score were at a premium, but the Potters at least and at last managed to convert two of the few chances that were constructed.
New signing Jon Parkin took his place in a changed City line-up, which included Lee Martin on the left of midfield instead of the injured Lee Hendrie against a Saints side anxious to get themselves back into the play-off places after their midweek defeat at Preston. Jonathan Fortune resumed his place in defence after his brief return to the Valley.
In a promising start by City, Darel Russell shot weakly wide and Danny Higginbotham missed a great opportunity to put his side ahead against his former club after six minutes when an excellently delivered free-kick from the right by Liam Lawrence gave him a free header at the near post but the skipper failed to make contact.
So it came as a shock when in the seventeenth minute the home-side were literally pole-axed after the defence allowed substitute Pedro Pele to advance unchallenged and switch the ball to full-back Chris Baird. The diving Steve Simonsen could not hold the Northern Ireland international's long-range swirling shot and Polish international Marek Saganowski was able to smash home the loose ball from an acute angle.
It was a rare error by the City 'keeper in a season in which he has pulled off so many crucial saves, but it left City with a huge task. It is a mark of their character that they proved equal to the challenge.
A Lawrence volley which flew just wide and a Martin shot-cum-cross which almost deceived 'keeper Kelvin Davis gave the Potters hope of an equaliser, but the visitors' 4-4-2 line-up was well-organised defensively and looking a potential threat when they went forward, despite having to re-organise through an injury to Djaml Belmadi in the warm-up and an early knock to Jermaine Wright.
Nevertheless, City felt aggrieved after thirty-one minutes when Parkin went down after flicking the ball round his marker. Instead of awarding a penalty which the crowd was howling for, referee Mr Swarbrick booked the City player for diving.
But the Potters were rewarded a minute later when a Lawrence corner was flicked on by Higginbotham for Fortune to volley the ball home from close range for his first goal in City's colours.
In several recent games, City had failed to make the best use of set-pieces, but their improved delivery this afternoon brought its reward.
The goal immediately increased City's tempo but Andrew Surnam almost snatched the lead for the visitors after a swift break. Simonsen went down quickly to save and the half ended all-square with City aiming to build on their equaliser in the second half.
But there was a scrappy opening to the second period before a Lawrence corner again picked out Higginbotham whose bullet header flew just wide.
The visitors then enjoyed a good spell of possession, forcing the Potters deep and struggling to mount a meaningful attack.
The referee didn't endear himself to the fans with some inconsistent decisions, including a failure to book Saganowski for the same offence which had resulted in Parkin's yellow card.
After sixty-six minutes, Martin Paterson was introduced for Parkin who had struggled to make an impression on the visitors' centre-backs as his midfielders were driven back too often to lend effective support in attack.
Southampton responded by putting on the pacy Bradley Wright-Phillips, but it was City who took the lead when Southampton momentarily lost concentration at the back after Jhon Viafra was injured.
Expecting play to be stopped, they were caught square as Saif Diao slipped a short through-ball into the penalty area for Martin to time his run to perfection and finish expertly with his right foot from twelve yards.
Viafra almost grabbed an immediate equaliser with a cross-shot from the right which Simonsen finger-tipped away.
With Southampton looking for an equaliser, the game opened up, but no City player was on hand to take advantage of Paterson's pass across an open goalmouth.
By this time, John Eustace had been brought on to strengthen the City midfield, but the final ten minutes were a nail-biting affair. Adam Rooney replaced Lawrence to give the City attack a youthful and sprightly look, but the yougsters had little opportunity to make a mark as Simonsen was the busier 'keeper in almost five minutes of time added on.
This was a welcome and much-needed three home points.There are still at least a couple of play-off places to play for, and with many of the contenders due to play each other, the door to promotion, if not wide open, is still certainly ajar.
Bob James
