Southampton failed to score in a fifth match since caretaker boss Stuart Gray
took over from Glenn Hoddle and were stunned by a spectacular Kevin Kilbane
winner which revived Sunderland's outside chance of a UEFA Cup place next
season.
Ireland winger Kilbane does not score many but in the 54th minute at The Dell
he conjured up what must be the most brilliant strike of his career - and his
second goal in a four days.
Andorra were the undistinguished opposition when Kilbane hit the target for
the Republic Ireland in midweek, but the best defence on earth could not have
stopped his amazing winner that brought Peter Reid's team only their second
victory in 13 games.
Gavin McCann floated over a free-kick from the left six minutes after the
interval and Kilbane took off to flick the ball over his shoulder, over every
Saints defender plus goalkeeper Paul Jones and, magically, just under the bar.
Kilbane was swamped in a mass of joyous, barely-believing team-mates and
Sunderland, distinct second-best in the first half, went on to cement a valuable
triumph with some diligent defending.
Frenchman Patrice Carteron cleared James Beattie's shot off the line in the
72nd minute after old warrior Matt Le Tissier had been sent on to try to spark
Southampton back into life.
And it was the final anguish for Beattie four minutes later when he scuffed a
glorious equalising opportunity beyond the far post after being perfectly set up
by Tahar El Khalej.
Saints, especially Beattie, must have despaired of ever scoring again after
the way the fates conspired against them in only the seventh minute.
Beattie had clearly begun his run in pursuit of Jo Tessem's through-ball just
inside his own half but his speed off the mark confused linesman Alex Harvey who
briefly flourished his flag but then instantly put it down again.
Too late. Sunderland, having seen the flag, had already stopped playing after
pushing right up. And although Beattie's chip into the net was perfectly
executed, it is debatable how hard Thomas Sorensen tried to stop it.
Inevitably, mayhem broke out when referee Alan Wiley, after consulting his
assistant, awarded Sunderland a free-kick just inside their own half. And
Beattie who continued the argument for minutes afterwards was very lucky not to
be booked.
It was easy to understand the frustration of a man who, after 12 quick goals
this season, had not scored in the previous nine games. He had another effort
ruled out for offside against Aston Villa last week and hit the woodwork against
Chelsea a week before that.
But his team-mates were no more fortunate in the first half here - especially
little Latvian Marian Pahars.
Recalled to the starting line-up, he looked a certain scorer when racing clear
on Matthew Oakley's exquisite through-ball just after the half-hour, but failed
to take it round Sorensen who just did enough to squeeze him out.
Sorensen rescued Sunderland again five minutes later when he made an
outstanding block to deny Tessem after Emerson Thome completely miss-kicked his
attempted clearance of Beattie's low cross.
Then Pahars, having already been puled up for a handling offence as he shaped
to take aim at another chance, got his footwork all wrong when trying to blast
El Khalej's square pass from 25 yards and skewered it miserably wide.
He was the prime candidate to give way for Le Tissier's entrance, only the
former England star's fifth appearance this season because of knee ligament
trouble.
But by then Kilbane's wonder-strike had turned the game around and the best Le
Tissier could create was a delightful dummy which allowed Tessem's cross to run
through for El Khalej who promptly put it straight into the grateful Sorensen's
hands.
Caretaker boss Gray made one last bid to prevent the fourth defeat in five
games since his accession to the helm with a double substitution in the last six
minutes but the only statistic that produced was a booking for substitute Kevin
Davies' foul on Julio Arca.
Sunderland had little to offer up front in a tame first half. Kilbane delayed
too long with an opening 12 yards out and saw it blocked by the reliable Dean
Richards.
Don Hutchison, stop-gap striker replacement for the injured Kevin Phillips,
fired a decent effort just over the bar and Niall Quinn's soft shot on the turn
was easily collected by Jones - the keeper's only save of the first 45 minutes.
But he was left bamboozled by Kilbane's stunner before much longer.
Teams
Southampton: Jones, Dodd (Rosler 83), Lundekvam, Richards,
Bridge, El Khalej, Oakley, Kachloul, Tessem,
Beattie (Davies 83), Pahars (Le Tissier 65).
Subs Not Used: Moss, Draper.
Booked: Davies, Kachloul.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Carteron, Craddock, Thome, Gray, Schwarz,
Hutchison, McCann, Arca (Butler 86), Kilbane, Quinn (Kyle 74).
Subs Not Used: Macho, Varga, Williams.
Booked: Hutchison.
Goals: Kilbane 54.
Att: 15,249
Ref: A Wiley (Burntwood).
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