Saints sink sorry Bradford

Petrescu put in an impressive display for Southampton

Southampton 2-0 Bradford

Southampton's impressive home run of seven League and Cup games without defeat was kept in tact as they deservedly beat a lacklustre Bradford side.

The Saints had the better of the chances in the first half and, despite the slippery conditions, also played the better football.

Dan Petrescu was lively down the right, while Marian Pahars and Jo Tessem were both involved in some clever link-up play.

Bradford's main threat came from Dean Windass who saw an audacious attempt from 35 yards fly wide after just two minutes and had a header saved by keeper Dave Jones.

Midway through the first half, Wayne Bridge failed to direct his shot on target after a decent pass by Pahars.

And while Glenn Hoddle's men continued to stamp their authority on the game, they failed to convert any of their first-half chances.

Saints reap rewards

The Saints came out in the second half showing much more endeavour and creative guile than their northern counterparts.

The league table doesn't lie and we have not been good enough

  Bradford City manager Jim Jefferies

And they were duly rewarded when the ever busy Pahars headed in after 58 minutes.

Tessem delivered a perfect cross for the Latvian which he duly dispatched, atoning for his mistake moments earlier when he failed to convert a good chance.

Hoddle then brought on Mark Draper for Chris Marsden in the 60th minute.

And within seconds, James Beattie added to his tally for the season with a well-taken goal to put the Saints 2-0 up.

With Southampton in charge, Bradford produced little which would suggest they have any chance of avoiding the drop.

He scored a great goal and it proves that if the ball is right then small men can score headers

  Southampton manager Glenn Hoddle on Marian Pahars

Jim Jefferies' side have now failed to score in eight-and-a-half-hours of league and cup football.

The Saints continued to press, but Bradford managed to thwart their quest for more goals.

The only disappointment for Hoddle must be that captain Jason Dodd was taken off injured towards the end of the match.

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Southampton: Jones, Petrescu, Lundekvam, Richards, Dodd, Pahars, Marsden, Oakley, Tessem, Bridge, Beattie. Subs: Moss, Draper, Rosler, Bleidelis, El Khalej.

Bradford: Walsh, O'Brien, Molenaar, Myers, Locke, McCall, McKinlay, Beagrie, Saunders, Windass, Jess. Subs: Davison, Ward, Atherton, Blake, Hopkin.

Referee: G Poll (Tring)