Southampton vs Watford. Sky Bet Championship.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance30,347.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Southampton and Watford at St Mary's on Saturday | Flynn Downes scores deep into stoppage-time to give Saints promotion hope.
Saturday 13 April 2024 18:31, UK
Flynn Downes sensationally bundled in a stoppage-time winner to keep Southampton in the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion race with a 3-2 victory over Watford.
Will Smallbone and Che Adams had put Saints on course to capitalise on Leeds and Leicester's earlier defeats before Ryan Porteous and Ismael Kone levelled things up.
But Downes crashed home at the back post deep into stoppage time to send St Mary's and manager Russell Martin into raptures - with a play-off place confirmed at the very least.
Saints are now seven points off the top two with games in hand.
Saints were rapid out the blocks as Smallbone headed in their quickest goal of the campaign after 57 seconds.
Adam Armstrong provided a perfect cross from the left side to allow Ireland international Smallbone to celebrate his fifth goal of the season.
The midfielder almost bagged a quickfire brace when he won the ball with a tackle on the edge of the Hornets box before getting back to his feet to blaze over the crossbar.
The home supporters did not have to wait too long for a second goal, though, as Adams tapped home in the 20th minute.
His 15th goal, and third versus Watford, this season came after Kyle Walker-Peters' cross was sliced by Tom Dele-Bashiru, with his clearance chased down by David Brooks to tee up the Scotland international.
The momentum suddenly turned towards Watford half an hour into the match with Yaser Asprilla twice shooting wide, the second after a skilful run off the right flank.
They capitalised in the 34th minute when lackadaisical defending saw Porteous pick up the ball and fire home, via a deflection off Jack Stephens.
Vakoun Bayo stabbed another Hornets chance wide as Saints' advantage was almost completely wiped out.
But the hosts rallied either side of the interval. Adam Armstrong controlled and fired over a Joe Aribo lifted ball, before Brooks slapped over a first-time effort from the edge of the box.
Porteous almost notched for a second time in the 53rd minute but his header was cleared off the line by Taylor Harwood-Bellis, before Giorgi Chakvetadze sliced wide from six yards.
Ryan Fraser thought he had settled the nerves when he slotted home in the 83rd minute but had not timed his run from Armstrong's through ball.
And his poor synchronisation was punished when Kone turned on the ball in midfield before driving into the box and coolly inserting into the bottom corner - which appeared to put Watford on course for a fifth straight draw.
Armstrong almost won it when he volleyed into the ground, but Daniel Bachmann brilliantly tipped over before Downes' last-gasp heroics.
The on-loan West Ham midfielder met Harwood-Bellis' knock-on from a corner to take the three points.
Southampton's Russell Martin:
"It's a good day for us in the end with the results elsewhere as well, but we can only focus on ourselves and I'm pleased we got over the line.
"I'm frustrated with how long it took and what it took, but I'm really pleased we won. We played some brilliant football with plenty of running and energy.
"The feeling at the end is amazing, but it just shouldn't be that. Watford were good, and they're playing with freedom and they're running so hard for Tom.
"We have five games now where we just can't afford to play like that. Unfortunately for us, we're not in the top two and having a nice time. We're fighting and chasing for everything we have.
"I'm frustrated about some of it but really pleased with some of it. I'm delighted with the character and the grit and the willingness to win.
"You can't concede two goals again at home after being two up - we have to stop that nonsense.
"I've never stopped believing in the group of players that we have. I think they've shown they believe so much in what they're doing with the late winner today and the fight."
Watford's Tom Cleverley:
"The red card incident on Porteous, genuine mistake. The handball, his line of sight might have been obscured, genuine mistake.
"The fact that the corner gets delivered after the 98th minute after seven added on is a worry.
"For me, our season is sort of mid-table and it's not affected the way our campaign ends so much, but when there's hundreds of millions of pounds on the line for Leeds, Ipswich and Leicester.
"I think they could be arguing that the top referees should be in charge of these games for when the stakes are so big.
"I will never, ever have a go for genuine mistakes. I'm disappointed the corner was taken. There was no subs, no goals in injury time.
"It's a really difficult one to take. But for the first time we've been behind in my stint as manager and we showed real character to come back.
"It feels a really, really bitter pill to swallow that we've come out with no points. We're feeling really hard done by now."
