Graziano Pelle scored his first Premier League goal of 2015 as Southampton moved into the Europa League places with a 2-0 win over struggling Hull City.
Second-half substitute James Ward-Prowse opened the scoring with a fine penalty on 57 minutes after Alex Bruce fouled Shane Long.
Pelle, whose last league goal came back in December, then wrapped up the points from close range as the Saints boosted their hopes of European football next term.
Below, relive the drama with our live text commentary.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Hull City's visit to Southampton. I'm Shane, and I'll be taking you through all the action at St Mary's as our hosts look to move into the top six and boost their hopes of Europa League qualification. Where did it all go wrong for a team who, until a few weeks ago, had genuine top-four ambitions?
Aiming for the Europa League after threatening to qualify for the Champions League for so much of the season must be a little like trying to court Kim or Kourtney and ending up with Khloe, but while sitting seventh in the Premier League will disappoint Ronald Koeman's side, they can't throw the baby out with the bathwater because it's been an extremely encouraging first season for the Dutchman.
Having lost so many of their key players during the summer, with Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Dejan Lovren and Rickie Lambert all heading for the exit, little was known what to expect of the Saints in Koeman's maiden season. Remarkably, they have made stunning progress despite a mini exodus on the South Coast and it would be a massive shame to see their season peter out.
They lost 1-0 at Everton last week in a defeat that saw them enter this week in seventh place, one point behind Liverpool and Spurs in fifth and sixth respectively, but the visit of relegation-threatened throws up a chance for them to get their season back on track and produce a strong finish to a season that has been littered with positives.
What about Hull? Well, on a weekend where Game of Thrones returns to our television screens, Hull City's form makes for grimmer reading than a teleplay of the hit HBO show. Steve Bruce's side are without a win in five games. That form is affordable if you're, say, Swansea or Stoke City, who have little left to play for other than pride, but the Tigers are only two points above the relegation zone!
Anywho, like Steve Bruce's belly, there's plenty more that we haven't looked at yet, but first we must get some team news, will we? Okay, but before that even, why not check out what the boys at Sports Mole HQ have had to say on this one? Go on sure.
SOUTHAMPTON XI: K. Davis, Alderweireld, Fonte (c), Yoshida, Bertrand, Wanyama, Schneiderlin, S. Davis, Mané, Long, Pellè
HULL XI: Harper, Bruce, Chester, Huddlestone, Aluko, N'Doye, Elmohamady, McShane, Quinn, Dawson, Livermore
SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: Gazzaniga (GK), Clyne, Tadić, Ward-Prowse, Elia, Reed, Targett
HULL SUBS: McGregor, Rosenior, Brady, Diame, Sagbo, Robertson, Hernandez
We'll start with the visitors then and no fewer than FIVE changes for Hull! Steve Harper replaces Allan McGregor between the sticks, while Stephen Quinn, Tom Huddlestone, Stephen Quinn and Sone Aluko also come in from that 3-1 defeat to Swansea. David Meyler drops out through suspension, while Gaston Ramirez is eneligible to face his parent club.
Quite a few changes for the Saints aswell as Koeman makes three changes in total from the 1-0 defeat at Everton. Maya Yoshisa comes in for Nathaniel Clyne, who has interestingly been bench amid speculation linking him with a move away. Steven Davis returns from injury to displace James Ward-Prowse, while there's also room for Sadio Mane, who comes in for Eljero Elia to support Graziano Pelle and Shane Long. That's your lot!
Who can Hull look to for a bit of inspiration in these troubled times then? There's a few candidates, but if Dame N'Doye can rediscover his form of a few months ago then the January signing could have a big say in this relegation battle. The Senegalese hitman scored three in his first five but hasn't found the net in any of his last three now.
And Southampton? Well Graziano Pelle has had as much luck in front of goal as I do on Plenty of Fish. He has eight Premier League goals, but none of them have come in 2015! So we're looking at Shane Long, who only has three league goals to his name, but he's against his former club this afternoon so he could, and should, give a decent account of himself.
DID YOU KNOW? Let's look at a few stats to pass the time, and if you're a Hull fan, or at least have a bit of money on Hull, then look away now: Southampton have won the last five head-to-head meetings, and seven of their last eight overall. You need to travel back to March 2008 to find Hull's last win - a 5-0 demolition in the Championship. Kinda ominous, isn't it?
Furthermore, Bruce's side have only ONCE in their last 14 away games in a run of form that includes six draws and seven defeats. And, with six red cards, no team other than Aston Villa have had more players sent off this season. It's looking pretty good for Hull this afternoon then init.
PREDICTION: We're about 15 minutes from kickoff then so let's do what we always do and get a prediction wrong, shall we? Okay, and I'm on a 2-1 home win this afternoon. The Saints have more than enough quality to win this comfortably, but it won't be that easy for the hosts as Hull will make it difficult but ultimately fall short. Email your predictions to notarealemailaddress@lies.com.
Koeman on changes: "It's about freshness. I spoke to @Nathaniel_Clyne yesterday. It's just a rest for the player." #saintsfc
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 11, 2015
Interesting quote from Koeman there on his decision to omit Nathaniel Clyne, whose future has been heavily debated in recent days. Do we believe him when he says that he's simply "resting" him? Email your thoughts to Iwontgettheemail@lies.com.
Right, so the players are lining up in the tunnel ahead of kickoff, which is just seven minutes away now. Will Southampton move into the Europa League places, or will Hull boost their survival prospects? Time will tell.
Loads of Hull fans in attendance it has to be said. Fair play because it's quite a long trip to St Mary's from Hull. Let's hope for their sake they leave with something to celebrate.
KICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaand we're off at St Mary's, folks. Hull, wearing their black kit, get us underway. Big 90 minutes ahead for both these sides - bigger for Hull it has to be said.
CHANCE! We've seen a goalscoring chance already as Shane Long, against his former club, runs through on goal with Steve Harper, but his touch to bring it around the veteran keeper is a little heavy and he runs it out of play. Poor control there but promising start by the hosts.
CHANCE! Madness at St Mary's as the clash throws up two chances already, and it's Hull this time as Stephen Quinn dances his way into the box before squaring to Sone Aluko, who thrashes narrowly wide of Kelvin Davis's post with a left-footed shot. He's only got one Premier League goal in 19 months so, you know, we shouldn't expect him to hit the target but it was a chance.
SHOT! Aluko gets his shot on target this time after showing good pace to ghost past Fonte, but his shot is comfortably saved by Davis. Decent start by Hull it has to be said.
Steve Bruce is looking quite dapper this afternoon. We're used to seeing him in a tracksuit, but the big man is dripping swag in quite a nice suit today. Let's hope his side look as slick as he does - and so far they do.
Southampton just coming into the game a little more now after a nervy first 10 minutes or so, but plenty of positives for Hull so far. Dame N'Doye has looked lively.
"There's only one Ronald Koeman" rings around St Mary's as Southampton fans lavish praise on their manager - and rightly so because what a good job he's done. We mentioned it pre-match, but it'd be a massive shame if their excellent season peters out in the last six or seven games.
The hosts well on top now. Shane Long finds Steven Davis, who releases Mane down the right hand flank but the winger's low cross is cut out before it can reach Pelle.
CHANCE! Best chance in the game by a mile as Steve Harper saves well from Pelle. Shane Long did well to out-muscle James Chester, who slipped, before the Irishman's shot fell in the path of the Italian, who failed to convert about five yards. Big, big chance for him to score his first Premier League goal in 2015.
Tom Huddlestone's having a bit of a mare in Hull's midfield. He's the team's quarter-back but all of his passes are falling flat on their face at the moment. He's struggling to find his range big style.
SHOT! For somebody who hasn't scored a league goal in 19 months, Sone Aluko has been Hull's biggest threat so far and he's just fizzed a fine curling effort slightly wide of Kelvin Davis's post. Promising.
James Chester has looked a little suspect in this first half. Earlier, he slipped in the build-up which led to Pelle's chance, and he's inexplicably let a ball bounce just outside the box just now and had his pocket picked. Really poor.
15 minutes left until the break then and it's been a decent game thus far. Southampton have had the best chance, with Pelle seeing his shot saved by Harper, but Hull have probably been the better team overall.
SHOT! Stephen Quinn has a decent chance here as he volleys at goal, but he volleys down into the ground, which takes the sting off it, and allows Davis to make an easy save.
Like Huddlestone, Jake Livermore is having a bit of a mare as well. He's passed back to Harper from about 50 yards, allowing Long to charge down Harper's clearance but, thankfully, it comes to nothing. Still, it was Livermore who was to blame for Long's chance in the first minute, too.
Six minutes left until the break and Hull still the better team it has to be said. It's difficult to know if it's due to Southampton's deficiencies on the day, but they certainly look dangerous going forward, with N'Doye and Aluko linking up really well.
BOOKING: Victor Wanyama will miss the next two games after picking up his 10th yellow card of the season after tugging back Aluko, who was played in by a truly superb cross-field ball by N'Doye.
HALF TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-0 HULL
Goalless here then in what has been quite a good first half at sunny St Mary's, with Hull arguably the better side so far!
Saints have had the best chance, when Graziano Pelle was denied from close range by Steve Harper, but Hull have been the better side overall, with Sone Aluko and Dame N'Doye linking up really well in the final third.
But they haven't really tested Kelvin Davis at all, despite having some 11 attempts at goal, and that'll be a point of discussion by Steve Bruce at the break.
Still, plenty of positives for the visitors in that half and they'll look to build on it after the break and boost their hopes of survival.
RESTART: Aaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back at St Mary's. Let's go.
There's one change to tell you about as Wanyama is replaced by youngster James Ward-Prowse. We don't know if it's tactical or forced yet.
I didn't notice this in the first half, but Ryan Bertrand's new haircut looks a little like Janelle Monae in that Tightrope video. That is all. Speaking of tightropes, maybe that was why Wanyama was hauled off, having been booked in the first half.
Apart from substitutes and dodgy haircuts, there's little to report in the first five minutes of this half as of yet unfortunately. This will change soon though.
SHOT! I told you we'd have something good to report soon, didn't I? It's Livermore, whose fierce drive is beaten away by Davis who makes a decent save.
PENALTY TO SOUTHAMPTON!!!!!!!
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!! Southampton 1-0 Hull (James Ward Prowse penalty)
What a penalty this is, as youngster James Ward-Prowse, on his 69th Premier League appearance, scores his first top-flight goal by guiding a fine spot-kick beyond Harper. Alex Bruce was the guilty party after fouling Long. No complaints over the decision.
OFF THE LINE! What a response this would've been, as James Chester rises highest to meet a Stephen Quinn corner, but his header is cleared off the line by Ryan Bertrand.
SUB: Sadio Mane makes way for the talented Dusan Tadic. Before Mane leaves the field he needs to get out of Paul McShane's pocket first.
SUB: Bit of a change in shape for Hull now as Bruce replaces defender Chester with midfield Mohamad Diame. Elmohamady and Quinn will probably drop back to wing backs, with Diame, Huddlestone and Livermore in a three-man midfield.
SHOT! Brilliant trickery from Dusan Tadic to make a mug of McShane, as he finds out-of-form Pelle, whose subsequent shot deflects off Bruce and loops comfortably into Harper's hands. Saints on top.
Hull have run out of ideas it seems. There's no creativity in the final third at all, with Quinn's hopeful crosses into the box about the bulk of the creativity. It's a big 20 minutes in there season and they need to do more.
DOUBLE SUB: Eljero Elia replaces Shane Long for Saints, while Tom Huddlestone makes way for Yannick Sagbo for City.
Do Hull have a chance then? They've got a chance of course, but is it probable that they'll find an equaliser? Well, no, it's not, because Southampton have more clean sheets than anyone else in the Premier League this season - 14. Ominous.
GOAL!!!!!!!!! Southampton 2-0 Hull (Graziano Pelle)
Finally, Pelle finds the net in 2015! It's not a great goal, but he won't care as he taps home Morgan Schneiderlin's cut-back from close range to effectively seal the points. That should be that.
SUB: Final throw of the dice for Bruce, who brings Aluko off for Abel Hernandez, who has one goal in 17. Hmm.
Two minutes of normal time left now and it seems like Hull are drawing dead. Shame, because they were better in the first half.
CHANCE! Oh lord, Davis should've wrapped it up here but he blazes Tadic's cut-back well over the bar from close range. Big miss.
THREE MINUTES ADDED ON:
FULL TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 2-0 HULL CITY
That's it, my friends. Southampton win 2-0 to move FIFTH in the table, having started the day in seventh. Steady performance and the win turned out far easier than it seemed at half time.
Anywho, that's all we've got time for this afternoon. Thanks for joining our live commentary and we'll see you next time. Have a lovely weekend.
Written by
Shane Callaghan
Shane Callaghan
