Nigel Adkins admits penalty decision fortunate

Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has admitted that his side got lucky with a penalty decision which led to the winning goal against Aston Villa this afternoon.

Skipper Rickie Lambert netted from the spot after a penalty was awarded by referee Mark Halsey when Jay Rodriguez went down after a challenge from Enda Stevens.

Replays showed that Stevens did not make contact with Rodriquez and Adkins has insisted that he does not advocate diving from any of his players.

He told BBC Sport: "We could have had seven or eight penalties this season, and they say it levels out.

"For me there is no contact with the player but the referee has a decision to make. All we can do at our place is make sure the players are not diving.

"We expect the players to behave properly, it is not a dive from Jay Rodriguez, there was no contact, but if the player had not moved his leg away, there would have been contact."

An important 1-0 win at Villa Park has moved Saints up to 15th place in table, two points clear of the relegation zone.