gave Southampton a 2-0 win over Bournemouth despite
Victor Wanyama's late red card.
Southampton eased to a 2-0 derby win over AFC Bournemouth,
extending their south-coast neighbours' winless Premier League
run to five matches.
Ronald Koeman's team move up to seventh in the table thanks
largely to a dominant first-half performance, where the
Bournemouth defence was creaking heavily before two goals in
the space of five minutes from Steven Davis and Graziano Pelle.
Pelle celebrated his 36th-minute header by engaging in a Haka-
style celebration with Southampton's sports therapist Graeme
Staddon, whose New Zealand compatriots claimed Rugby World
Cup glory against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.
Unfortunately for Southampton, they were unable to produce the
type of on-field dominance synonymous with the All Blacks after
the break, when Bournemouth made most of the running but
lacked badly for cutting edge.
The hosts played the final 12 minutes with 10 men after Victor
Wanyama collected a second booking but there would be no
way though for Eddie Howe's men, who sit a point and a place
above the relegation zone.
A Southampton side unchanged from last weekend's draw at
Liverpool asked plenty of early questions of a Bournemouth
backline that leaked 10 goals over their previous two Premier
League matches and Sadio Mane saw his 12th-minute strike
deflected behind by veteran centre-back Sylvain Distin.
Mane, who scored the equaliser and was later sent off at
Anfield, then latched on to Pelle's knockdown and drilled a shot
into the turf that grazed the top of the netting.
The breakthrough arrived in the 31st minute from a sweeping
Southampton attack – Pelle's deft flick falling perfectly into
Ryan Bertrand's path for a first-time cross that Davis converted
on the volley.
The Italy striker got himself on the scoresheet five minutes later,
powering home a header after Dusan Tadic bamboozled right-
back Adam Smith with some clever footwork to deliver the
cross.
Howe introduced attacking duo Josh King and Junior Stanislas
in place of Glenn Murray and Marc Pugh at half-time and he was
rewarded with a brighter start by his side in the second period.
But despite penning Southampton into their own half,
Bournemouth were unable to test home goalkeeper Maarten
Stekelenburg.
Harry Arter added a strong presence to the Bournemouth
midfield on his Premier League debut, but his low cross, after
being released by Matt Ritchie's delightful backheel, flashed
through a crowded penalty area to underline the visitors' lack of
clinical work in the attacking third.
Wanyama's foolhardy decision to go to ground on Arter's
replacement Lee Tomlin gave Bournemouth fresh
encouragement but Dan Gosling headed over from an 81st
minute corner.
And Southampton were able to celebrate a clean sheet for the
first time in five unbeaten Premier League outings after
Stekelenburg stood firm to thwart Tomlin as the clock ticked
down.
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