Saints unlucky in draw with Addicks

Kevin Davies went close to goal for Southampton

Southampton 0-0 Charlton

Charlton were lucky to come away with a point from The Dell in a game which Southampton dominated from start to finish.

Glenn Hoddle's steadily improving team showed just why they are unbeaten at home in the last four games with some resolute defending.

Charlton were probably content to pick up a point as they recovered from the shock of almost losing to Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Cup third round last week.

We had 15 efforts at goal and eight of those were on target but their keeper made a couple of great saves

  Southampton manager Glenn Hoddle

Southampton were not backwards in coming forwards and in-form striker James Beattie turned from Saint to sinner midway through the first half.

It seemed easier for the Southampton man to score but Charlton keeper Dean Kiely made a fine save to deny the Premiership marksman his 11th goal of the season.

However, Beattie was not the only Saints player guilty of squandering gilt-edged opportunities with both Dean Richards and Hassan Kachloul missing close-range headers.

Southampton forward Kevin Davies saw his shot from 25 yards out go just wide of the post, and Beattie struck a 38-minute free-kick which was blocked on the line by Charlton captain Graham Stuart.

The Addicks started the second half with slightly more purpose and Bartlett had a shot saved by Southampton keeper Paul Jones.

But Charlton were limited to only a handful of shots on target and clearly missed top striker Jonatan Johansson who is out for a month with a knee injury.

Matt Oakley was denied by the cross-bar midway through the second half when he sweetly struck a first-time volley from 30 yards out but the ball ended up in Kiely's hands.

It was a scrappy game but our away record is poor and now we have managed to stay unbeaten for two games and that's what we are going to take back

  Charlton manager Alan Curbishley

Kiely was again Charlton's saviour minutes later when he made an instinctive save from an Oakley shot.

New boy Dan Petrescu made his home debut late on in the match as a substitute but was unable to make any significant impact on the game.

And from then on, despite Southampton's relentless efforts, the game was destined to end goalless.

---

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Lundekvam, Richards, Bridge, Oakley, Marsden, Tessem, Kachloul, Beattie, Davies. Subs: Moss, Draper, Caceres, Rosler, Petrescu.

Charlton: Kiely, Kishishev, Konchesky, Rufus, Fish, Stuart, Jensen, Todd, Parker, Bartlett, Svensson. Subs: Caig, Brown, Salako, Lisbie, Powell.

Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).