It just wasn’t to be for Southampton in their 2-2 draw against Bristol City.
When the referee on the night, Elliot Bell, pulled Saints up while on the attack for an offside in the 95th minute, which, upon replay, was not, it felt clear that things weren’t going to go their way.
The Saints managed to salvage a draw out of a slow, leggy performance, but even that was not enough. Their automatic hopes have drifted just out of reach, with two league games left to play.
Tonda Eckert’s side must stay focused ahead of their FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, but it was a night that showed how tired some of their squad players are.
A leggy performance
Southampton looked extremely leggy on the night.
Skipper Jack Stephens was forced out of the lineup after an injury in the pre-match warmup, and that was just the start of fitness problems for the Saints.
Finn Azaz, who has played the majority of games under Tonda Eckert and did not get the luxury of an international break without football, looked off the pace and was substituted - something that the German manager almost never does.
It was not just Azaz not up to the mark; the Southampton midfield was virtually non-existent at times, leaving Bristol City quite happy to let them have the ball, before counter-attacking well.
The Saints have unfortunately played so many games that it is catching up to them. Rests for Leo Scienza and Tom Fellows meant that the abyss-like midfield had no runners helping it out in the first half, and Bristol City pounced.
It’s a credit to Southampton for getting back in the game, fighting well to get a grasp on the match, but they just unfortunately couldn’t get that all-important match-winning goal. It really was do or die by the end: keeper Daniel Peretz was sent up to attack a last-minute corner at 2-2, as they went for broke.
St Mary’s wasn’t full of boos or applause at the full-time whistle, just a few moments of disappointment. This did not last for long, before the Northam stand sang in support of the players, because an exciting trip to Wembley still awaits.
Time to go again.
It wasn’t all disaster on the night - Southampton now know where they stand. They must go for broke in the FA Cup, then aim for a third-place finish, giving them a second-leg play-off tie at home against the team that finishes in sixth place.
One of Millwall or Ipswich Town will be forced to end the season on a low note, knowing they missed out on automatic promotion. Southampton can come to terms with that fact now.
Eckert’s side must focus on the task at hand - because their promotion hopes have not been shattered, just postponed.
Add us as a preferred source on Google