Southampton 3 Leeds United 4 - Championship Match Report

Southampton: A.Niemi, R.Delap, D.Higginbotham, D.Wise (R.Fuller), M.Svensson, C.Lundekvam (T.Hajto), M.Oakley, N.Quashie, B.Ormerod, M.Pahars (N.McCann), T.Walcott.

Leeds: N.Sullivan, G.Kelly, D.Harding, S.Derry, M.Kilgallon, P.Butler, F.Richardson (D.Healy), L.Miller, R.Hulse, R.Blake, E.Lewis.

Match Report: The biggest Championship crowd of the season this far had gathered on a bright, crisp afternoon to see two sides expected to challenge for promotion who had both made unsatisfactory starts to the campaign.

In the early minutes the visitors pressed forward; Rob Hulse was disappointed to head tamely at Antti Niemi when handily placed and Claus Lundekvam had to be alert to clear a dangerous centre before it reached the prowling Robbie Blake.

Southampton, however, then began to assert themselves in midfield and were soon heavily on top.

A dangerous Nigel Quashie centre was clawed to safety by Neil Sullivan under challenge and a succession of corners saw Michael Svensson causing havoc as he ventured forward from defence.

The electric pace of Saints' boy wonder Theo Walcott was also giving Leeds plenty to think about and Sullivan had to be sharp to clear an unconvincing back pass from Dan Harding before the winger arrived.

This weight of pressure was beginning to tell and Paul Butler was booked for a late tackle on Matthew Oakley who was running the midfield at this stage.

Another Walcott burst on 27 minutes earned a corner and when Svensson again got in a strong header Marian Pahars was ideally positioned five yards out to nod home the opening goal.

The main source of the Saints threat was very clear. How to handle it was another matter altogether.

Fed shortly afterwards by Quashie, Walcott tore away from Kilgallon, United's quickest defender, as though he was running in treacle and when the youngster cut an inviting ball back from the byeline Quashie had continued his run and sidefooted home crisply from the edge of the box.

Good play by Dennis Wise and Oakley quickly created another opening for Quashie but this time his radar was out and Leeds survived.

There was more than a hint of desperation about the visitors now although they did manage a couple of attempts on the Southampton goal.

Blake tested Niemi with a 25 yard free kick which the Finnish international held comfortably before a whipped centre by Eddie Lewis from the left wing gave Hulse a clear header ten yards out. Once again Niemi was not stretched as a weak attempt lobbed into his arms.

Right on the stroke of half time, however, Southampton stormed forward again and when Oakley's header struck Harding on the arm the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Nigel Quashie did the honours, blasting home an emphatic spot kick into the roof of the net.

Southampton left the field to a well deserved standing ovation while the visitors trooped off shellshocked.

There might have been a slight cloud on Southampton's horizon as Pahars had withdrawn shortly before half time with an injury and neither Lundekvam or Wise were fit enough to continue after the break.

Trailing by three at half time, however, it seemed as though an early goal was imperative if Leeds were to make a game of it. The pattern of play remained unchanged though with the Saints pressing forward in search of further goals.

Walcott again disappeared away from a challenger, this time Harding, with embarrassing ease to force another corner. Sullivan was at full stretch to prevent Neil McCann's centre from sailing straight into the net.

Then Quashie's corner from the other side found Svensson but his goalbound header was deflected wide more by luck than judgement.

The visitors' plight was highlighted by the booking Eddie Lewis collected for bringing down Rory Delap. Leeds needed Lewis to be taking Delap the other way but there was little sign of that happening.

Brett Ormerod was the next to test Sullivan who was at full stretch to keep out his diving header and then McCann was just wide from 20 yards.

At last the pressure began to relent but although Liam Miller, on loan from Manchester United, scraped the bar with a 25 yard free kick with just over 20 minutes remaining the outcome appeared certain.

The catalyst for an astonishing turn around was the introduction of David Healy as substitute.

Healy had been doubtful for the game because of injury but there was no sign of him being hampered as he immediately set Leeds moving forward.

Within two minutes of arriving the hero of Northern Ireland's recent win over England drove beyond Niemi only for Svensson to block on the line. From the resultant corner, however, Butler rose unchallenged and guided a looping header below the angle of post and bar to give his side a lifeline.

Inspired the visitors surged straight back onto the attack and with 15 minutes remaining Miller fed Healy who smashed a hopeful shot into the goalmouth. There was no way of knowing what Healy's intention was but the ball ran perfectly for Blake who drilled home with a vengeance beyond the bemused Niemi.

The atmosphere inside the stadium changed instantly with this goal. Now the Saints fans, accustomed to little else but draws this season, were frantic while the large contingent of Leeds supporters roared their encouragement.

On 83 minutes another ball whipped into the box by Healy struck Danny Higginbotham and now Leeds had a penalty.

Showing no nerves whatsoever Healy slammed the spot kick high into Niemi's net and Leeds, incredibly, were level.

With the Southampton defence in disarray Hulse was able to pick his way down the left hand side of the box before squaring an inviting ball which Miller latched onto to drive unerringly into the bottom corner.

In a frantic finale Ricardo Fuller was presented with one chance to salvage something for the Saints from this amazing game but he sent his angled drive narrowly beyond the far post and Leeds were home.

Four goals in thirteen minutes. The visitors had scarcely deserved a draw, let alone victory, over the course of the game but no-one could deny that when the door had been left ajar they had stormed through it without waiting for permission.

This would be an important game in setting Leeds on the path to the play offs, albeit to ultimate disappointment, while perhaps marking the beginning of the end of Harry Redknapp's brief, unhappy association with Southampton.

It possibly also provided Theo Walcott's most convincing display before his big money move to Arsenal and bizarre selection in the 2006 World Cup squad.

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Southampton 3 Leeds United 4 - November 2006