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Disappointing draw leaves Saints chasing second

DISAPPOINTING seems to be the word of the month for Southampton. Disappointing in their results when they are playing, and disappointing in the inability to play when they’re not. The weekend postponement of the away trip to Rochdale left many with little to do but hope for generous results for the surrounding teams  equally seeking promotion from the third tier of English football. Victory at mid-table Hartlepool therefore, seemed a necessity for a team desperate to secure an automatic spot and take advantage of the two games in hand over its rivals.

After the game, Nigel Adkins spoke of his frustration in the team’s inability to finish their chances, something compounded by Brighton’s 4-0 thrashing of crisis-club Plymouth. Goals win games and if Adkins’ side are to make themselves favourites for promotion in this second half of the season, then such  presented chances are going to have to start hitting the back of the net (and this does not include an inablity to defend leads once established).

I believe most Saints fans are not expectant of the club to finish the season in first place. Brighton, as they have for the whole season, look uncatchable at present, and with a  ten point cushion to rely upon and equal games played, current form would suggest that Saints would be very fortunate to finish one below them.

There were a few positives to take from the weeks action. Despite Saints’ inability to play on Saturday and their failure to make it count when they did, a variety of surprise results leave the table much as it was a week ago, with each team no further apart in terms of games played. Bournemouth missed the chance to secure victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night, a missed penalty spelling a goalless draw for the Cherries.  A further home draw against Huddersfield also meaning that the club find themselves only a further point away from Southampton than they were, with three extra games played.

FFurther draws for Peterborough, Huddesfield and Oldham resulted in the table showing little change over the night, and with games in hand over the whole of the top six, the league remains very much in Southampon’s hands.

Whether they’ll take it however, remains a very different story.

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