Southampton v Everton
16/05/99 4.00
Southampton (1) 2 Everton (0) 0 FT
Pahars 24,68
Marians Pahars, the man billed as the Latvian Michael Owen, scored twice as Southampton pulled off the great escape.
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The Saints will begin next season in the FA Carling Premiership, their 22nd in the top flight in a row, after Pahars struck either side of half-time to give his side victory.
Southampton looked doomed when they took just one point from their first seven games of the campaign but they steadily hauled themselves nearer to safety and today they completed their salvage operation.
Matt Le Tissier, for so long the Saints' saviour, was at the heart of everything, particularly in the first half, but it was Pahars who set them on the way to victory in what was locally regarded as the biggest game in the club's 114-year history.
Southampton battled for six weeks to get a work permit for Latvian striker Pahars and they only completed their £800,000 signing for the 22-year-old, who was previously at Skonto Riga, on deadline day.
But he came off the bench to grab a late equaliser against Blackburn soon after joining and today he scored two goals which will be worth much more than any single strike Owen has managed so far in his career.
The match had been level for 24 tense minutes, and Francis Jeffers had just missed a gilt-edged chance for Everton, when Pahars pounced.
James Beattie did well to leap above Craig Short and Dave Watson to help on Jason Dodd's long pass and Pahars - who was in plenty of space - did well to steady himself before firing a fierce 12-yard drive beyond Thomas Myhre to send the majority of the 15,254 fans at The Dell into ecstasy.
Southampton had opportunities to go further ahead, notably when the impressive Mark Hughes somehow nodded over from three yards after escaping his marker, before Pahars put the result beyond any doubt on 68 minutes.
Chris Marsden robbed Olivier Dacourt - who was disappointing in what could be his final Everton appearance - and fed Beattie, whose superb cross was headed home by a diving Pahars from close range.
The little striker was given a standing ovation when he was substituted 10 minutes from time as the home fans saluted their new hero; the man who had ensured Manchester United, Arsenal and co will again have to visit The Dell next season.
Southampton had been in the relegation zone from the second week of the season until May 1 but like a supreme long-distance runner, they have produced their sprint finish at exactly the right time.
Their home record has been formidable, winning seven of their last 10 League matches and not losing at The Dell since Boxing Day.
They have ended the season with three victories, including last week's 2-0 triumph at Wimbledon, and taking 11 points from a possible 15 has kept them up again.
Shirts bearing the slogan ``The Great Escape 99'' were being sold outside the ground before and after the game, and for the third time in six years they have defied the pundits and stayed up on the last day of the campaign.
But for all their close shaves down the seasons since being promoted to the top flight in 1978, rarely can they have been more desperate to avoid relegation.
They have finally received planning permission for a new 25,000-seater stadium to be built at a site in St Mary's - where the club was founded in 1885 - at a cost of £30million.
Their ability to pay for the ground, which they hope to move to in time for the start of the 2000-01 season, is heavily dependent on them being in the Premiership, so they could not afford to begin the next Millennium in the Nationwide League.
But the way they went about their job today meant there was little chance of them dropping into Division One, such was their dominance.
Everton, who stayed up on the final day of last season, were second best throughout, with only Jeffers' early shot - when he shot wide from 12 yards - to show for their efforts.
By then Le Tissier had gone close twice, with one brilliant volley from the edge of the `D' flashing just wide with Myhre beaten.
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But Pahars' goal calmed Southampton nerves and when he doubled their lead the game was as good as won, with Everton unable to fight back.
Saints had to win to ensure they stayed up, with Charlton able to overtake the south coast club if they triumphed and Dave Jones' side drew or lost.
But events at The Valley were rendered irrelevant by Southampton's victory as their fans left the ground toasting Pahars and looking forward to another season of Premiership football.
Images © Gary M. Prior/ALLSPORT |
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Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Benali, Marsden, Monkou, Lundekvam, Le Tissier (Ostenstad, 85), M. Hughes, Beattie, Pahars (Beresford, 80), Kachloul.
Subs not used: D. Hughes, Hiley, Moss.
Booked: Le Tissier, Marsden, Pahars.
Everton: Myhre, Weir, Short (Bakayoko, 62), Watson, Unsworth, Ball, Hutchison, Dacourt, Gemmill (Degn, 73), Campbell, Jeffers (Cadamarteri, 62).
Subs not used: Gerrard, Ward.
Booked: Hutchison.
Attendance: 15,254.
Referee: G Barber (Pyrford).
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