I can finally check-off "Witness a Southampton victory" from the things to see list -- after three long years of waiting. To be honest, the way the match was going, it seemed as if it the wait was going to continue. That is until Rickie Lambert's shoulder got the ball across the goal line at the death after a rather uneventful match to that point. But for £5 and nothing much to play for for either side table wise you couldn't really have asked for more.The main excitement during the match came when it was clear that Swansea's derby rivals, Cardiff City, were on their way back to the Championship having gone down 1-0 at Newcastle after 17 minutes. Cardiff would go on to lose 3-0.
For Southampton, the trip to Swansea was treated as a celebration and a thank you to supporters for traveling to away games. Free scarves were laid out before everyone arrived, free player masks were presented at the gates for #sfcselfie, and a meal ticket for food at the game were included in the £5 ticket.
Overall, the hospitality at the Liberty Stadium was fantastic. By far one of the easiest stadiums to get to and areas to leave.
Swansea was also the first trip in my Southampton career that I did not fall asleep once on the ride to the stadium. I typically am out long before we hit the motorway. Although it would have been difficult to fall asleep on the final day of the Championship's season, which saw Birmingham City escape relegation in the 93rd minute, sending Doncaster down to League One who lost at league winners Leicester City. Former Saints gaffer Nigel Adkins saw his side knocked from the final playoff spot at the hands of Brighton. The car was definitely abuzz with football talk for a majority of the 3 1/2 journey to South Wales.
The Saints win does see the club surpass its old 38-game points total of 52. The club has 55 through 37 games.
Swansea City 0 : Southampton FC 1 (Rickie Lambert 90')
Southampton FC Starting XI: Artur Boruc, Nathaniel Clyne, Jose Fonte, Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw, Victor Wanyama, Jack Cork (-> Reed), Morgan Schneiderlin, Steven Davis, Adam Lallana (-> Lambert), Sam Gallagher (-> Ward-Prowse).
Subs: Paulo Gazzanigo, Rickie Lambert, James Ward-Prowse, Guly, Calum Chambers, Harrison Reed, Jos Hooiveld.
Swansea City Starting XI: Michel Vorm, Dwight Tiendalli (-> Taylor), Jordi Amat, Ashley Williams, Ben Davies, Jonjo Shelvey, Jonathan de Guzman (-> Dyer), Pablo Hernandez (-> Emnes), Leon Britton, Wayne Routledge, Wilfried Bony.
Subs: Gerhard Tremmel, Neil Taylor, Kyle Bartley, Jay Fulton, Nathan Dyer, Marvin Emnes, Alvaro Vazquez.
Oh, and Swansea f***ing hate Cardiff City.
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Edit note: You may recall my Birmingham away post, the Snowless Draw, from February 2012 where Mack and I were asked by Sky to walk through the gate for their pre-match footage.
A refresher if need be:
Well the acting duo was back at it again and on full display during Match of the Day in the slightest of slight, the minuscule of minute ways away to Swansea.
Look for the arrow for a bit of a laugh:
