Three winners and two losers from Southampton's first Championship away win vs Norwich

On a wild night in the Championship that saw Lincoln City receive two red cards at home to West Ham United, and Portsmouth score a late winner against Sheffield United, Southampton's first away win of the season was a little more understated.

Indeed, the Saints would win by just one goal on their travels to Norfolk, as Tonda Eckert's widespread tinkering of the team - with Cyle Larin and Leo Scienza among the substitutes - paid off in the end.

There were several players who were introduced into the first team fold for this mid-week clash that shone.

Yet, there were others who didn't quite cover themselves in glory away at Philippe Clement's hosts, despite the final scoreline reading 1-0 in the South Coast side's favour.

3 winners and 2 losers from Southampton's 1-0 win over Norwich

Winner #1 Kuryu Matsuki

Kuryu Matsuki would come into the starting XI as one of Eckert's many reshuffles, owing to Cameron Bragg being suspended.

He would be slotted back into the team down the right wing, and he showed to his manager that he should be starting week in week out, as he scored the only goal of the monumental 1-0 win for the visitors.

The Japan international would find himself in the right place at the right time to tap home, after Norwich somehow managed to keep the ball initially out of the net.

Up to two Championship strikes now for the season, he will fancy his chances of cementing the right wing spot in the team, as the Saints face off against Bolton Wanderers, on home soil, this approaching Saturday.

Loser #1 Flynn Downes

Flynn Downes could find himself out of the team for the tricky tie with the Trotters, though, as he had to come off early on at Carrow Road, due to an ankle concern.

The hope will be that the dependable number four isn't in the treatment room for very long, as he often stands out as an irreplaceable midfield heartbeat for his promotion-chasing team.

Indeed, he was tireless during the South Coast Derby, and has barely put a foot wrong all campaign as an always switched on leader.

Football can be a cruel game, however, as a matter of days on from the immense glory of that win over Pompey, he nows finds himself resigned to a stint in the treatment room.

Winner #2 Caspar Jander

Eckert will surely just start Caspar Jander in Downes' place when Bolton come to St. Mary's, as the German battler came on for the injury-stricken battler last night, and was pretty faultless throughout.

Misplacing just one of his 45 passes during his extended 68 minute runout, as well as winning eight duels, Jander really is a class act at Championship level, and a perfect stand-in for the experienced 27-year-old.

He was even pushed to the front of the post-match celebrations for how key he was in offering calm, when heads could have dropped as a result of Downes' untimely injury, as a spell starting in the first team surely arrives his way now.

Loser #2 Tom Fellows

While Jander is banging on the door for more first team opportunities, Tom Fellows might well be glued to the bench for some time.

He's slid down the pecking order even more after Wednesday night's determined win, as Matsuki - who plays down the ex-West Bromwich Albion attacker's preferred right-hand side - popped up with his second Championship strike of the campaign to clinch a rare away win.

Matsuki is unlikely to be dropped, therefore, and other fringe players such as Sam Edozie stood out in Norfolk, while all Fellows could muster was being a bystander to the action unfolding, as he wasn't substituted on.

His minutes have significantly dried up, as he was also left rooted to the bench against Pompey.

Winner #3 Lewis Dobbin

Lewis Dobbin wasn't afforded a runout in the South Coast Derby, either, but he was surprisingly given the nod to start up top against Canaries, his former loan side no less, ahead of Divin Mubama.

Saints fans would have been puzzled by this decision by Eckert pre-match, but the one-time Aston Villa youngster justified his surprise start with a workmanlike performance.

His first ever Southampton goal didn't arrive, but he "ran his socks off" - as Saints writer Christian Lovegrove put after the 1-0 win - as eight ground duels were valiantly won.

Dobbin very much needed this confidence boost, after a torrid start to life on the South Coast, with a first strike for his new club hopefully arriving soon, as more starts are surely on the cards.

He was certainly lively at the full-time whistle, as well, as he declared that Eckert and Co. have the "best squad in the league."

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