Southampton 4-1 Peterborough United

                                         Lee Barnard set Saints on their way with a great finish

Southampton secured a sixth straight home win with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Peterborough, underlining their credentials for promotion this term.

 Saints who were celebrating their 125th birthday started the game on the front foot but had to wait until the half hour mark to get the party started when Lee Barnard collected a Rickie Lambert pass well and duly smashed home into the top right hand corner of the net.

The three points were virtually sealed within the first five minutes of the second half, it took just 30 seconds after the restart for Jose Fonte to leap well to head Ryan Dickinson's cross from the far post across goal and into the bottom left hand corner.

And just two minutes later it was 3-0 after a some great play saw Richard Chaplow volley home from 8 yards after being picked out by Dean Hammond to finish off a really well constructed team goal.

Posh however did pull a goal back fifteen minutes from time courtesy of a Aaron Mcclean who found himself clean through and cooly lifted the ball over the advancing Kelvin Davis. A comeback wasn't on the agenda today however as Brazilian striker Guly Do Prado took advantage of some poor Peterborough marking from a corner to head home from a Lee Holmes free kick.

Goal scorers: Barnard 28, Fonte 46, Chaplow 50, McLean 76, Do Prado 80

Teams
Southampton: Davis, Richardson, Jaidi, Dickson, Fonte, Hammon, Chaplow, Chamberlain, Lambert, Barnard, Lallana
Substitutes: Bialkowski, Butterfield, Martin, Holmes, Do Prado, Schneiderlin, Connolly

Peterborough: Lewis, Langmead, Williams, Nyatanga, Little, Mccann, Davies, Tomlin, Mclean, Mackail-Smith, Boyd

Referee: Sarginson
Attendence: 22,177

A trip to St Marys

As I finally hopped out of bed after ten minutes of contemplating whether or not I had preserved enough body warmth to survive the much dreaded cold walk to the shower , I gazed out of my window at Lucia Foster Welch students halls of residence for my eyes to be presented with the usual everyday sighting of St Marys Stadium the home of Southampton Football Club. The only difference was today was the day I finally got to fulfill  my ambition of visiting one of Britains best modern footballing stadia and ticking off another prestigious stadium I have been privalleged enough to visit, not only this but today was a new experience for me one which meant attending a football match but not as a fan, quite far from it in fact today i was about to embark on visiting St Marys as a sports journalist.

So there I stood, freezing cold and shivering engaging in my routine morning stretches as a cold November morning was accompanied by a radiator that doesn't exactly fulfill its job of heating my room up. But there was no time to loose I needed to have a shower, have my breakfast and meet up with my University lecturer John May to sit in the press box and watch Southampton versus Peterborough in what looked a tasty league one encounter between two sides who both had promotion ambitions. Both teams were going into the back of league defeats however Saints had won their last five league games at St Marys so i was anticipating an open interesting watch.

The walk to the stadium was delightful due to the fact it took me all of five minutes,as I set off my destination just seemed to fill the skyline not bad for a side in Englands third tier of league football. However this wasn't, and no disrespect to lower league sides just any club this was Southampton Football Club, a club rich in vein when it comes to past glorys and successes. A club which was home to some real footballing greats such as Saints legend Matt Le Tissier, the great Alan Shearer started his glorious career donning the famous red and white stripes. And more recently the likes of Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott were playing for this well supported city club. As I stood directly outside the ground it was clear to see this wasnt your average league one stadium it was a ground that looked to have been built with the intentions of assembling an infrastructure for that of a premiership club, so for me it was a shame when reflecting back on how an established premier league side such as Southampton have slowly moved down the England footballing pecking order over the past five years.

As I met John we waited around for about five minutes before going inside an recieving our press box tickets which was an experience I was very much looking forward to. The first place we visited once inside was the press conference room which was full of enthusiastic sports journalists sitting down watching the remainder of the Arsenal versus Tottenham game being played on the big screen, the turnaround which saw Spurs overcome a 2 goal half time defecit to run out 3-2 winners courtesy of a late Younnes Kaboul goal, claiming their first win away at their arch rivals for seventeen years was definately what everybody was encaptured by. Not me however as much as I was enthralled by such a result I was too busy ears dropping on journalists to find out traits and tricks of the trade in an industry I one day hope to prevail in. However this didnt deter me from helping myself to a glass of water and an amazing tuna baguette!

As kick off approached we made our way to our seats in the press box it was a new experience being surrounded by many journalists working for prestigious companies such as skysports and the BBC, some as commentators, others with laptops writing up match reports. Me, well I had my pen and pad and was setting up so I could get ready to write my own version of the 90 minutes which were about to unfold. There was time to spare so I had a quick look in the matchday programme and went over the team sheets to make sure I could take notes and keep my eyes peeled to the game at the same time. By now I knew i was in the stadium of a club with a great fan base who seemed to really want to get behind their team ,I was now taken away by the welcome the players recieved when making their way onto the pitch.

Kick off soon approached and the game started off at a frantic pace with Southampton in the ascendancy, creating the much better of the chances and they were soon reward with a fantastic effort by Lee Barnard that just seemed to fly into the top right hand corner. For the majority of the half all I could hear was Southampton fans fantastic support for their City club who were rewarded when the score remained 1-0 at half time. By now I was really feeling the cold so thought a coffee, a pasty and checking the days other days half times scores including my beloved Newcastle who were already facing a second half struggle due to the fact they were trailing by two goals at the break, away to Bolton Wanderers. Anyways I was here to do a professional job so had to keep my mind focused in the job in hand as I game back out 5 minutes before the second half resumed.

And barely one minute into the half and it was 2-0 after some great Saints play resulting in Jose Fonte heading low in the bottom corner , and those who left their seat at half time must have been even more gutted when 2 minutes later it was 3-0 courtesy of a Richard Chaplow volley which finished off a great team goal, by now Southampton were certainly in cruise control. The pace of the game remainded constant and the Saints were in no mood to just rest on their laurels and Peterborough their counter parts to be fair kept trying to come out and play football the right way despite trailing by three goals. Posh effort were rewarded after 75 minutes when Aaron Mcclean finished nicely with a little chip over Kelvin Davis to pull a goal back. However today was Southampton's day and the points were sealed when substitute Prado scored after 79 minutes. The scoreline 4-1 was how it remained for the remainder of the game and left Southampton fans going home happy and the team looking like they really mean business this season.

However my day was over yet, now as the stadium emptied it was time to go pitchside and into the tunnel to witness first hand how the professionals conducted interviews with both managers and players from both sets of teams. I was literally yards away as I saw BBC journalists interviewing Richard Chaplow of Southampton as well as both managers Gary Johnson and Nigel Adkins, it was fair to say the contrast of emotions was telling to say the least!

Now there was nothing left for me to do but to go home and go over in my head the events of today which definately left me with much to think about and look forward to if I'm going to embark on a prosperous future career as a sports journalist, today was definately the start of a long learning curve I am happy and willing to undergo to achieve my goals.

Premier League preview round 10- Saturdays Games

Arsenal V West Ham United

  
After a fine display at Eastlands last sunday, Arsenal will be looking to record their fifth successive victory in all competitions since their lose at Stamford Bridge. Their oppenents West Ham, however enter the game in different steed winning only one of their nine Premier League games this term and in the process recording only one clean sheet and one victory all season. Last weeks home defeat to Newcastle will surely turn up the heat on Hammers boss Avram Grant.

Team News
Arsenal Injuries: Almunia, Van Persie, Diaby, Wilshere (suspended), Gibbs, Frimpong, Vermaelen, Ramsey.
West Ham United injuries: Hitzlsperger, Collison, Hines, Kurucz, Piquionne and Upson (both doubtful)

Blackburn Rovers v Chelsea

 

The Blues travel to Ewood Park in fine form, last weeks 2-0 home win against Wolves combined with Manchester City's defeat at the hands of Arsenal means Chelsea are five points clear at the top. Carlo Ancelotti's men also boast the record of conceeding the fewest goals so far this term with a remarkable two. Blackburn on the other hand are living dangerously just outside the drop zone by a point. Sam Allardyce has been promised £5m to spend in the january transfer window by Rovers new perspective Indian owners and on this seasons early form it is whats needed.

Team News
Blackburn Rovers injuries: Nzonzi, Grella, Andrews
Chelsea injuries: Ramires, Lampard, Benayoun

Everton v Stoke City

Everton have recently kick started their Premier League campaign after their Merseyside derby win followed up by a point at White Hart Lane last weekend moved them up to 11th in the table. Stoke on the other hand have lost every game in the league away from the Britannia Stadium so far apart from their 2-1 success at St James' park.

Team News
Everton injuries: Anichebe, Fellaini, Osman, Rodwell, Arteta (doubtful)
Stoke City injuries: Sidibe, Jones (doubtful), Pennant (doubtful)

Fulham v Wigan Athletic

If the league table nine games in anything to go by this will be a closely contested match up with Wigan sitting just one point above the Cottagers and once point clear from the relegation zone. Fulham just hovering above Liverpool on goal difference. Mark Hughes' men have recorded just one victory all season whereas the Latics go in to the game in better form losing just one of their last seven Premier League games.

Team News
Fulham Injuries: Etuhu, Murphy, Zamora, Duff, Kelly, Senderos, Davies (doubtful)
Wigan Atheltic injuries: McCarthy, Boyce, Pollitt, Gohouri (doubtful)

Manchester United V Tottenham Hotspur ( Kick off 5.30)

Manchester United's Mexician starlet Javier Hernandez will be under the spotlight this weekend after his brace against Stoke City followed up by Tuesday's winner against Wolves in the league cup left United fans quick to forget the Wayne Rooney saga. The Red Devils undefeated so far this term shouldn't be too quickly written off in this seasons title race. Their oppenents Spurs havn't won at Old Trafford in 21 years but have an opportunity to do so under Harry Redknapp due to the quality of the squad. However they cannot afford to have one eye on next weeks Champions League tie at White Hart Lane with Inter Milan.

Team News
Manchester United Injuries: Rooney, Valencia, Owen, Giggs, Hargreaves, Evans (doubtful)
Tottenham Hotspur injuires: Defoe, Huddlestone, Dawson, King, Corluka, Woodgate, O'hara



Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City

Wolves enter this encounter in deep early season trouble sitting second bottom in the table. Last weekends defeat at Stamford Bridge was by no means embarassing for the midlands outfit but with league games against Manchester United and Arsenal coming up home points here will surely have to be a priority. The Citizens contrastingly are sitting third in the Premier League table being replaced at second place by last weekends conquerors Arsenal. No top scorer Carlos Tevez is a blow but one which shouldn't affect the outcome of this match in terms of the strength and depth Roberto Mancini's squad possesses.

Team News
Wolverhampton Wanderers injuries: Zubar, Craddock, Guedioura
Manchester City injuries: Tevez, Kolarov, Nimely, M Johnson, K Toure (doubtful), Boyata (suspended)

West Ham United 1-2 Newcastle United

Andy Carroll set one up and bagged the winner for the Magpies

Andy Carroll put a controversial week behind him as he headed in the winner in a 2-1 victory at Upton Park. The win moves the magpies up to ninth in the Premier League and leaves West Ham rooted to the foot of the table.

Carroll 21, who had been attracting the wrong kind of headlines this week nodded in Joey Barton's cross to secure the points, the young talisman had also earlier set up team mate and now landlord Kevin Nolan to equalise.

The game should have potentially panned out much different to the final outcome if the first 20 minutes were anything to go by, West Ham exerted early pressure and were rewarded when Carlton Cole opened the scoring. However after that the home side were outplayed by the Toon Army.

The result means West Ham remain bottom of the league level on points with Wolves and Liverpool being separated only by goal difference.

West Ham unbeaten in five started very brightly and were making sure most of the game was played in the Newcastle half.  Their first real chance of the game proved to be the opener with Mark Noble picking out Frederic Piquionne's run with a exquisite perfectly weighted pass. The Frenchman's ball across goal was then turned in by Carlton Cole for his first goal of the season.

However the game began to shape up differently from then on as Newcastle started to look more and more like the home side and were soon in the ascendancy. Andy Carroll and Joey Barton in particular were starting to look more than a handful for the Hammers.

And it was no suprise when the Tyneside outfit levelled when Andy Carroll leaped well to nod Joey Barton's cross into the path of Skipper Kevin Nolan who smashed home from 8 yards.

The game was now being played at a very fast past and chances were coming thick and fast, Andy Carroll continued to terrorise the West Ham defence forcing a string of decent saves from Robert Green after the break. His volley from outside the box however was in the end a comfortable save for the hammers stopper.

West Ham already soaking up the majority of the pressure were hit with a blow when club Captain Matthew Upson departed with an unidentified injury which forced him off.

Once play resumed Newcastle took off where they left off, and it was inevitable that Andy Carroll who put in a good shift up top would come up trumps with the winner.

Barton who had a great game put a lovely inswinging cross into the box for the unmarked England u21 international to powerfully head home from 8 yards.

The win moves Newcastle up to ninth and on another day they could have ran out bigger winners as late efforts from Shola Ameobi, Joey Barton and Andy Carroll left Robert Green helpless. Next up for the magpies is a Carling Cup last 16 tie with Arsenal at St James' Park on wednesday, followed by the Tyne-Wear derby with arch rivals Sunderland on Sunday.

Goal Scorers: Cole 12, Nolan 23, Carroll 69

Line ups
Newcastle United: Krul, Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Williamson, Simpson, Nolan, Barton, Gutierrez, Tiote, Carroll, Ameobi
Substitutes: Soderberg, Perch, Taylor, Guthrie, Routledge, Smith, Lovenkrands

West Hame United: Green, Gabbidon, Upson (Ilunga 53), Da Costa, Jacobsen, Parker, Noble, Behrami (Barrera 76), Cole, Piquionne (McCarthy 67), Obinna
Substitutes: Stech, Ben-Haim, Faubert, Ilunga, Barrera, Boa Morte, McCarthy

Referee: Chris Foy
Att: 34,486

Simon Anthony Blaquiere