Raw passion, unbridled hostility and an electric atmosphere were hallmarks of a long overdue South Coast derby at Fratton park as Southampton put four past fierce rivals Portsmouth. As many had expected, there were some unrelenting tackles, an abundance of goals and plenty of ill-will as Danny Ings’ brace earned bragging rights for the Saints.
Smartly taken goals from Ings (2), Cedric and substitute Nathan Redmond were enough to see off a spirited Portsmouth side, who mounted a decent challenge in the first half. Indeed but for some more clinical finishing, it could have been the home side who troubled the scoresheet first with Marquis and Pitman coming close in the early stages.
Ultimately Southampton’s Premier League quality proved decisive as Ings did well to curl his first past the despairing Pompey keeper MacGillivray on the 21st minute mark. A second followed on the stroke of half time after Ings latched onto a perfectly weighted Obafemi pass and dinked it over the oncoming keeper.
An opportunistic finish from Cedric and a powerful drive from Redmond added gloss to the score line in the second period but Portsmouth deserve credit for the way they pressed and harried Southampton. Here’s three things we can takeaway from the victory: