RUSSELL MARTIN’S Southampton job was on the line tonight after his boys took a bashing from their smaller, noisy neighbours.
Bournemouth notched their first home victory of the campaign to leave the sorry Saints still searching for their first win in six games which is their worst start since 1999.
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Brazilian striker Evanilson’s first goal for Bournemouth since his £40million move from Porto set-up the win that lifted the Cherries over Manchester United into 11th spot.
Saints winger Ryan Fraser was enemy number 1 on the night when he returned to play at the club he once refused to play for.
The former Newcastle man was roundly booed from the first whistle and called a “w*****” by angry Cherries fan who couldn’t forgive him for turning his back on their heroes.
Fraser refused to play for the Cherries during the Covid lockdown in 2020 and turned down a new contract as Eddie Howe’s boys battled relegation.
Indeed, Bournemouth dropped into the Championship after five-years in the top-flight and Howe left his beloved local club and took a year out of the game.
Fraser signed for Newcastle and ironically Howe later followed the Scottish international to St. James’ Park after having time out with his family.
Martin pulled off a master-stroke by going strikerless at the Vitality Stadium by leaving FIVE out-and-out forwards on the bench.
And it wouldn’t have helped Fraser’s cause being marked by veteran defender Adam Smith-one of most loyal players at the club.
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Yet it was the diminutive Fraser who threatened first after eight minutes when he picked up a poor clearance from Kepa Arrizabalanga and fired it straight back into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Pass masters Southampton love playing it out from the back but they were seeing more of the ball upfront than their hosts in the early minutes.
And yet the Saints were made to pay dearly for losing concentration when Bournemouth were awarded a free-kick on 17 minutes.
Astute Marcus Tavernier spotted the opening and quickly fired in a perfect free-kick over the visitors’ back line allowing Evanilson to volley the ball into the far corner.
Ryan Christie’s neat flick set up Tavernier for a shot which former Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale pushed into the air before gratefully catching the ball.
And the night got even worse for Southampton when their neighbours doubled the score on 32 minutes with a deflected shot.
Antoine Semenyo left Charlie Taylor on the deck before laying a pass to Lewis Cook’s whose low shot struck Dango Ouattara and wrong-footed Ramsdale.
The home faithful immediately turned their taunts on their former winger singing : “Ryan Fraser is sending you down.”
And the visitors were certainly feeling down six minutes before the break when Semenyo turned Lesley Ugochukwu inside out before driving home his third goal of the campaign.
Martin obviously gave his side a piece of his mind before taking his seat back on the bench way before his boys appeared for the second half.
The gaffer made three changes at the break and the Saints responded quickly when Taylor Harwood-Bellis pulled a goal back on 51 minutes with a stooping header.
That gave the visitors a glimmer of hope and much to their credit they took the contest to their hosts with Harwood-Bellis’ deep cross forcing Arrizabalaga to make a one-handed save.
Unfortunately for Saints fans, the 22-year-old’s rallying cries after the goal – and the resulting cross – was about as far as the excitement got.
Bournemouth were ultimately unfazed by the early concession, taking back control of the game and playing their football to secure all three points.
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