Town boss Paul Jewell was delighted with his side’s point at Southampton, feeling his team responded well to a half-time tongue-lashing after a below-par first period.

Jewell said: “I was really desperate to get them in at half-time because I thought we were distinctly average in the first half and Alex McCarthy kept us in it with a couple of decent saves. I tore a strip off them at half-time and I think you saw the response in the second half.

“We started the game off OK. Southampton are a good team, they’re not top of the league for no reason, but I felt as if we were just sitting back a little bit and waiting for them to come at us, and we didn’t want to do that. I think we’re a far better team when we’re on the front foot.

“I got into them at half-time and I think in the second half, even though we went a goal behind, I thought we deserved it in the second half.”

The Blues boss says Jason Scotland deserved his goal: “It was a magnificent substitution!” he joked. “Jason Scotland’s been terrific for us and he’s been part of the squad and when he’s come on he’s worked hard and he’s works hard in training.

“He had a little bit of fortune with the deflection but I think Southampton had a little bit of fortunate on Saturday, so maybe we were due that.”

He says the Trinidadian’s lack of starts lately has nothing to do with three more leading to him triggering another year on his contract at his current wage: “Jason’s been unlucky. Obviously people talk about the contract situation, but it’s been nothing to do with that that, it’s because Chops has done well.

“I have to say Jason’s professionalism and his positive attitude around the place have been terrific and I’m really pleased for him. He’s a valuable member of our squad.”

Jewell says he expects the Saints to win promotion: “They were excellent at our place, they were 3-0 up at half-time. We got it back to 3-2 but we just couldn’t break them down. They’ve got some quality players and I think they’ll be in the Premier League next year.

“But we did show some battling qualities [today] and at times a bit of quality in the second half. In the dressing room after the game, even though we scored the equaliser, the lads are a little bit disappointed. Not that we haven’t won the game, but just with our performance in the first half, which tells me that we’re making progress because the squad’s standards are coming on as we grow together.

“We know there’s a long way to go this season, we know there’s a long summer ahead of us and we want to improve the squad to hopefully be somewhere near challenging next season.”

Despite that, he’s happy with his side’s current run: “One defeat in seven is obviously decent form. If you could take that for the rest of the season or over any given season you’d be somewhere close.

“We’ve got to do it over 46 games and when we’re not great we’ve got to get something out of the game.

“I think in the first half we definitely weren’t great, our keeper’s made two really good saves, we’ve defended for our lives at times and in the second half we restricted them to not to many chances and we were always a danger on the break.

“Kelvin Davis made a fantastic save from Chops that would have put us 1-0 up and who knows what would have happened. But, all in all, we’re pleased with a point.”

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

Photo: Action Images

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