Clyne leaves it late to rescue Southampton

Image
AFP Birmingham
Last Updated : Nov 25 2014 | 9:45 AM IST
Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne capped a memorable fortnight with the late equaliser that rescued a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.
Clyne won his first two England caps against Slovenia and Scotland during the recent international break and yesterday the right-back was the man of the moment for Southampton as well thanks to his crucial 81st minute strike at Villa Park.
Ronald Koeman's second placed side looked set for only their third defeat in the Premier League this season after Gabriel Agbonlahor put struggling Villa ahead following a mistake by Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster in the first half.
But Clyne's third goal of the campaign ensured Southampton, the season's surprise success story, survived to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to six matches and move within six points of leaders Chelsea.
In contrast, lowly Villa are without a win in their last eight league games and Paul Lambert's team are just two points above the relegation zone.
"I didn't come for one point but we didn't create as many chances as we should have and we missed some fitness and some quality," Koeman said.
"The goal was a misunderstanding defensively but we are human so we can make those mistakes.
"Every game is a battle and tonight was difficult. We did not reach our level."
The subdued atmosphere created by the lowest league crowd at Villa Park since 1999 suggested the home fans didn't fancy their team's chances and it was Southampton who almost seized the early lead with Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama sweeping over from the edge of the penalty area.
But Villa took the lead against the run of play in the 29th minute.
Ciaran Clark's long clearance should have been dealt with easily but England international Forster needlessly rushed out of his goal and Agbonlahor surged ahead of Jose Fonte, beat him to the ball and fired into the empty net.
It was the first goal Southampton had conceded in seven and a half hours of game time, and the shock sparked them back into action.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Nov 25 2014 | 9:45 AM IST

Next Story