Southampton 1-1 Town - Match Report Sunday, 4th Jan 2015 16:58 Town and Southampton face an FA Cup third round replay at Portman Road a week on Wednesday after an entertaining 1-1 draw at St Mary’s. Darren Ambrose put the Blues in front with his first goal for the club in almost 12 years in the 19th minute, but Morgan Schneiderlin equalised for the Premier League side on 33. Mick McCarthy made six changes to the team which beat Charlton 3-0 on Tuesday with Ambrose handed the first start of his third spell with the Blues. Kevin Bru, Stephen Hunt, Dean Gerken, former Saints academy schoolboy Tyrone Mings and Luke Hyam came into the team for Cole Skuse, former Southampton keeper Bartosz Bialkowski and Jonny Parr, who dropped to the bench, while Teddy Bishop, Jay Tabb and Paul Anderson were left out of the 18. Cameron Stewart was named on the bench for the first time since joining the club in the summer. The Blues, who took an away following of 5,500 to St Mary's, a record at the Saints' current home, started in a 4-4-2 formation with Hunt and Ambrose in the left and right wide midfield roles respectively. Former Town keeper Kelvin Davis is on the bench for the home side, who made only two changes from the team which beat Arsenal 2-0 on New Year’s Day. The Premier League side played keep-ball for the first five minutes but without threatening Gerken’s goal. On eight Bru scraped a low shot well wide of England keeper Fraser Forster’s right post from the edge of the box, the first chance of note at either end. The Saints continued to dominate possession but without creating a significant opening, although Victor Wanyama wasn’t too far away from Gerken’s right post with a powerful 30-yard strike in the 14th minute. Almost immediately, Town carved out a decent chance at the other end, McGoldrick seizing on a loose pass on on the Blues right and cutting a low ball back to Hunt on the penalty spot, but the Irishman’s shot was straight at Forster. There was a scare for the Saints in the 17th minute when skipper Jose Fonte air-kicked Gerken’s long clearance but Forster was on to it ahead of Murphy. At the other end, Hyam blocked from Wanyama on the edge of the box. The Blues had been increasingly getting a foothold in the game and in the 19th minute they went in front. Murphy’s clever ball sent Mings away in space on the left, the full-back crossed from the byline and Ambrose looped a header beyond Forster and into the top corner of the net to send the 5,500 at the other end wild. It was the 30-year-old midfielder’s first Blues goal since February 2003. Graziano Pelle wasn’t too far away for the Premier League side on 24, the Italian striker flicking Ryan Bertrand’s low cross from the left beyond the far post. The home side went close again a minute later when Dusan Tadic played in Steven Davis one-on-one with Gerken, who came off his line to save with his foot. Tommy Smith blocked the rebound from Pelle. Despite those chances, it was by no means all Southampton. On 28 Bru fed Murphy in space on the right of the area and his cross was only just behind McGoldrick, Fonte clearing. Gerken got down well to his right to save James Ward-Prowse’s 25-yard freekick on 29, then a minute later Schneiderlin was booked for a foul on Ambrose. Christophe Berra joined him in referee Martin Atkinson’s book soon afterwards. The Saints got back on terms in the 33rd minute via a goal Berra and Gerken will want to forget. The Scottish international defender was trying to shield a loose bouncing ball back to his keeper, who he was expecting to come off his line rather quicker than he was, and Schneiderlin stuck a leg in between them to divert it into the net. The Town goal came under siege following the equaliser with goalscorer Schneiderlin amongst those having efforts blocked. On 38 the Blues broke quickly, Murphy feeding McGoldrick to his left, but the Town number 10 chipped over. Bertrand saw a volley deflect wide on 40 with the game still being played mainly in and around the Town box. Moments before the end of a thoroughly entertaining half, Hyam unleashed a rocket from 30 yards which appeared to catch a defender on its way past Forster’s right post. Town had been by no means outclassed by their Premier League opponents, creating a number of opportunities in addition to the goal, despite the Saints having enjoyed much the greater share of the possession. Ambrose showed the goalscoring instincts Blues supporters will remember from his first spell at the club, finishing the well-worked move down the left with a superb header. While the Saints’ goal was down to a mix-up between Berra and Gerken, on the balance of the game the home side hadn’t deserved to be behind at the break. The home side created the first significant opening of the second half five minutes after the restart, Hunt having sold Mings short with a pass allowing Shane Long to break down the right. The Irishman crossed and Smith did well to get in front of Pelle. On 53 Mings was booked for a foul on Davis. Championship top scorer Murphy turned defender in the 57th minute, tracking Bertrand and sliding in to dispossess the left-back after he had been played on on goal by Pelle. The Italian hit a low shot through to Gerken on the hour with the Blues having been unable to get into the game after the break. The Saints had dominated but without creating too many opportunities. Two minutes later, Stewart was handed his Town debut in place of Hunt on the left with the Blues by now playing a 4-4-1-1 formation with Murphy on the right and Ambrose behind lone striker McGoldrick. Berra blocked from Pelle in the 65th minute with the Saints continuing to press, moments before Lloyd Isgrove replaced Tadic for the home side. Skuse took over from Ambrose in the 70th minute, the goalscorer departing to warm applause from the big Town following, who were continuing to make a lot of noise in the Northam Stand. Bru moved into the role between the midfield and McGoldrick. On 80, Berra and Shane Long tangled as they went for a ball on the right on the edge of the box, the linesman awarding a freekick with some Saints players arguing it was inside the area. The Blues just about dealt with the ball to the far post. As the game moved into its final 15 minutes the Saints stepped up the pressure. The game was being played almost entirely in or around the Town box, Berra twice clearing crosses with towering headers. On 79 Skuse sent Stewart away on a break down the right but the former Hull City winger was unable to find McGoldrick - the only other Town player in the final third - with his low cross. With three minutes of scheduled time remaining Conor Sammon replaced Bru. Deep in five minutes of injury time Berra made an important challenge on Isgrove - wearing a bandage on his head following an earlier clash with Chambers - as the youngster broke into the area. Bertrand shot across the face of goal as the home side looked to win it at the last, but Town weren’t to be denied a replay, which is likely to be played at Portman Road on Wednesday 14th January. While the Blues had their chances in the first half, they never looked like adding to Ambrose’s goal after the break with Southampton dominating throughout, although without creating as many opportunities as they had before the break. As ever, the Town backline remained resolute to give the Blues a second chance to progress to the fourth round for the first time in five years, this time on home territory. The draw for the fourth round will take place live on BBC One prior to Monday evening's live third round tie between AFC Wimbledon and Liverpool. Southampton: Forster, Ward-Prowse, Fonte (c), Gardos, Bertrand, Wanyama, Schneiderlin, S Davis, Tadic (Isgrove 66), Long, Pelle. Unused: Davis, Alderweireld, Isgrove, Reed, McCarthy, Targett, Seager. Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Smith, Hyam, Ambrose (Skuse 70), Bru (Sammon 87), Hunt (Stewart 62), Murphy, McGoldrick. Unused: Bialkowski, Parr, Bajner, Clarke. Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire). Att:
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