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Southampton logo
Premier League
Mar 30, 2013 at 3pm UK
 
Chelsea logo

2-1

Rodriguez (23'), Lambert (35')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Terry (33')

Live Commentary: Southampton 2-1 Chelsea - as it happened

Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report of Southampton's surprise 2-1 win at home to Chelsea in the Premier League.
2

Southampton caused arguably the biggest upset in the Premier League on Saturday with a 2-1 win at home to Chelsea.

Jay Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert got the goals for the hosts at St Mary's Stadium, while John Terry netted in response for the visitors.

The victory has moved the Saints four points clear of the relegation zone with seven games left to play.

Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report below to find out how the match unfolded between the two teams.


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Good afternoon everyone. Today's game is certainly an intriguing contest. Southampton are still battling for survival and a victory would be huge for the Saints. However, Chelsea could close the gap on second placed Manchester City if results go their way today.

Chelsea are searching for their third consecutive league win, while Saints are looking to extend their own unbeaten run to three games this afternoon.

We're still awaiting the team news from both sides. It will be interesting to see how Southampton approach the game. The home crowd will want to see attacking football but Mauricio Pochettino will be wary of the threat posed by Chelsea.

Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry (c), Bertrand, Mikel, Lampard, Moses, Oscar, Marin, Torres

Southampton: Boruc, Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Cork, S. Davis, Puncheon, Lambert, Rodriguez

Chelsea fans will be delighted to see John Terry captain the side today in central defence. Marko Marin and Ryan Bertrand are given rare starts by Rafael Benitez.

Juan Mata is reportedly unwell and misses out today but Eden Hazard is on the bench for the visitors.

Gaston Ramirez drops to the bench for the Saints, while club captain Adam Lallana is absent with a groin injury.

There's a lot at stake for both sides today so we could be set for a tight match. Chelsea will begin at favourites but at this stage in the season, we know that anything can happen.

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On an afternoon when Manchester United have moved closer to becoming champions, Chelsea will have high hopes of catching Manchester City. However, a loss today and Benitez could be under big pressure from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

Mata has been in superb form for Chelsea all season but his absence could give another member of the squad a chance to shine. We're yet to see the best of Marin in a Chelsea shirt, could he make an impact today?

We're less than 10 minutes away from kick-off. The Saints supporters will be as lively as ever and are dreaming of a win over the European Champions.

The players are out of the dressing rooms and we're ready to begin.

The players are out of the dressing rooms and we're ready to begin.

Good start for the hosts as they break quickly but Rodrqiguez fires his shot over the crossbar from the edge of the box.

Chelsea have struggled to settle early on, with Southampton pushing the visitors back into their own half.

Southampton are really dominating the opening exchanges an are enjoying some good possession in midfield.

Moses finds himself in plenty of space on the right wing but his cross is too firm and Torres can't get close to the ball.

Chelsea have come back into the game in the last couple of minutes but they're yet to create a chance.

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Moses cuts in from the right before sliding a pass towards Oscar. The Brazilian delivers a low cross but it's cleared and the hosts defend the following corner.

Chance! Chelsea win another corner but the delivery is poor and Southampton break forward. Rodriguez takes on the Chelsea defence before seeing his weak shot saved by Cech.

Puncheon shows some great skill to beat two Chelsea defenders but his next touch is poor and Cech easily gathers the ball.

Chance! Southampton attack in numbers and the ball drops to Lambert but his shot from a tight angle is well blocked by Ivanovic. Chelsea do enough to clear the corner that follows but it's the Saints who are in charge at the moment.

Chelsea are enjoying a rare spell of possession in the Southampton half but the home side's defence look composed at the moment.

The visitors just cannot control the game from midfield. Cork has been superb for the hosts.

GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Chelsea (Rodriguez)

Superb goal from the hosts. Rodriguez exchanges passes with Davis before slotting the ball past Cech to give the Saints a deserved lead midway through the first half.

Torres, wearing a mask due to a face injury, is adjudged to have handled the ball and Chelsea's celebrations are cut short when the Spanish forward pokes the ball home.

GOAL! Southampton 1-1 Chelsea (Terry)

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Terry manages to sprint into some space inside the box and heads home powerfully from a corner to snatch an equaliser for the visitors.

GOAL! Southampton 2-1 Chelsea (Lambert)

The Saints reply almost immediately and Lambert gives his side the lead in spectacular fashion. A free-kick from 30 yards out is curled into the top corner of the net to leave Cech helpless in the Chelsea goal.

Chelsea were fortunate to be level but that superb strike has restored the home team's lead. Benitez may be regretting his decision to rest some of his regular starters.

Brilliant from Southampton as they complete over 20 passes in a single move which ends with Lambert drilling the ball just wide of the target.

Chelsea's attacking players are struggling to make an impact in the final third of the pitch. There's plenty of effort from Moses on the wing but the visitors aren't committing enough players in attack.

Southampton finish the half strongly as Bertrand is forced to clear another attack from the hosts.

Half-time: Southampton go into the break ahead and the lead is no more than what they deserve.

Chelsea look to be lacking a bit of confidence in attack but the same cannot be said of Southampton. Lambert and Rodriguez have been brilliant and the visitors will need to improve if they are to claim a positive result.

There's chants of 'Lambert for England' coming from the Southampton fans. Lambert is now the highest English goalscorer in the Premier League but he's yet to impress Roy Hodgson enough to earn a call-up.

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Right, there's a slight change in our commentary box for the second half. Unfortunately, Callum is suffering technological difficulties and has had to 'go off injured'. So you're stuck with me (Michael) for the next 45, but I promise it'll be fun. We'll play board games, watch movies. You know, make a night of it...

Anyway, back to the action. The teams are out for the second half and play is about to get underway. No changes for either team.

I beg your pardon, Southampton have made a change. And it's in goal, as Kelvin Davis comes on in place of Artur Boruc.

Southampton get the second half underway.

The hosts make a positive start after the break, picking up right where they left off before half time. The ball nearly fell kindly for Schneiderlin inside the box, but Chelsea got it to safety. Saints win a free kick just outside the area but Davis' delivery can't find a teammate in the box.

Marin releases Bertrand down the left but the left back's cross is a poor one and easily cleared.

Southampton are giving their opponents absolutely no time on the ball. Their closing down has been first rate so far today. However, Chelsea are still a threat and have another corner.

SAVE! Saints only half clear the corner and Marin is able to deliver once more. The ball finds its way to Lampard at the back post, but his snap shot is repelled by Davis. The linesman flags for offside, so it wouldn't have counted. Still, good stop. that will give him some early confidence.

Wonderful run by Clyne down the right but his cross is just too deep for Rodriguez. The hosts are forcing errors from this Chelsea team, who aren't dealing well with the pressure being applied.

John Terry and Rickie Lambert go for a 50/50, but when the Chelsea captain looks to have lost the battle he resorts to hugging Lambert, who is unable to retrieve the ball. That's one way, I suppose.

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SAVE! Another good stop by the veteran Davis! It was Azpilicueta's ball into the box that found Moses, who scuffed an effort on goal. It looked like it might have deceived the keeper, but he was able to change direction and palm the ball onto the bar.

CHELSEA SUB: Marko Marin is withdrawn and Eden Hazard is introduced.

That's Benitez's customary 60th-minute substitution, and it comes not a minute too soon really. It was from the German's corner that Chelsea scored, but otherwise he has been rather poor.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB: James Ward-Prowse comes on for Jason Puncheon.

Chelsea are seeing more of the ball in Southampton's half now, but the hosts are defending resolutely. You just feel that there is a goal in this somewhere, for either side.

Rodriguez meets Davis' corner, but his header goes over the bar. He evaded his marker with some excellent movement, there.

PENALTY APPEAL! A great run by Moses as he darts menacingly at the Saints backline. He plays a one-two with Oscar, but goes down as if bundled over by Yoshida. The referee is not interested, although you've seen them given.

Saints break swiftly with Schneiderlin, who plays in Ward-Prowse on the right-hand side. He tries to square the ball for Rodriguez in the centre, but the ball is cleared as he's about to ram home.

CHELSEA SUB: Yossi Benayoun comes on for Oscar, which is greeted by boos from the travelling Chelsea support.

Magnificent run by Hazard as he slaloms his way into the Saints box. However, the end product isn't quite there as he drives the ball across the face of the goal.

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Lampard slams a free kick into the wall from around 35 yards out. Indicative of his day today. He just hasn't been able to affect the game in this second half.

Slight panic in the Saints box as the ball is delivered by Azpilicueta. There's some uncertainty as Lampard tries to bundle a shot on target, but the ball is scrambled clear.

Chelsea continuing to probe in and around Southampton's area. Luke Shaw and Nathaniel Clyne have been excellent in denying Chelsea's wide players space to get the ball into the box.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB: Danny Fox comes on for Steven Davis.

Free kick for Chelsea. Lampard stands over it, just over 20 yards from goal.

He hits it well but can't quite get the dip it requires and the ball sails over the bar. Relief for the home fans.

Four minutes of time to be added on.

Hazard delivers a free kick but it misses everyone inside the box. It looked as if Schneiderlin got his head to the ball but no corner was forthcoming.

The home fans whistle as we enter the final minute at St Mary's.

FULL TIME: Southampton 2-1 Chelsea

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It's over! The Saints go marching on as they scrap for Premier League survival. They defended well in the second half and deserve their victory, but the result will raise further problems for Benitez.

Thanks for joining Sports Mole for today's match at St Mary's. We still plenty more live football coverage on the way though, starting with Everton vs. Stoke City at 5.30pm. Enjoy!

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Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin scores during his side's Premier League clash with Liverpool on March 16, 2013
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