Southampton 1 Bolton Wanderers 2Even in the most extreme of cases, wins seem always to accompany managerial changes. There is apparently a deeper malaise here.
Under normal circumstances, there is an added edge to players hoping to impress the new broom. Chairman Rupert Lowe's promotion of Steve Wigley to the post of "head coach" was never going to produce that magic dust, since the former first-team coach is well known to these players.
One thing is for sure, however: Lowe's decision to sack the manager Paul Sturrock just two games into the season was met with outrage. In the two days following Sturrock's dismissal, the local newspaper devoted six pages to dissenting fans' correspondence.
With Sturrock gone, the arrival of Alaeddine Yahia from French side Guingamp can be taken as evidence of Lowe's extension of his duties into the role of director of football.
It can only be hoped that Lowe's ability to spot Premiership quality has improved since the additions of Peter Crouch, Jelle van Damme and Mikael Nilsson. They are three players whose signings Lowe pushed for, yet not one was deemed capable of a starting place last night.
Those who did start could not prevent Bolton controlling the opening period. A long ball from Nicky Hunt was misjudged by the Southampton defence, whose rush out played both Henrik Pedersen and Kevin Davies yards onside.
Antti Niemi was powerless to prevent Pedersen's free shot from opening the scoring. The goalkeeper was equally luckless with the second effort, after another defensive error, this time from Danny Higginbotham alone.
The defender upended Stelios Giannakopoulos in the area, with the referee Steve Dunn pointing instantly to the spot. Jay-Jay Okocha made no mistake.
Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen's failure to hold a cross from Paul Telfer did provide the substitute Crouch with the opportunity to soothe home fans' dislike of his Portsmouth connections with a goal.
But it was too little, too late for the home side on this occasion.
SOUTHAMPTON: Niemi, Telfer, Lundekvam, Higginbotham, Le Saux, Fernandes, Delap (Crouch 69), Prutton, Anders Svensson, Beattie, Phillips. Subs Not Used: Folly, Van Damme, Smith, Ormerod. Booked: Delap. Goals: Crouch 85.
BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Jaidi, Gardner, Speed, Campo, Okocha, Davies (Ferdinand 90), Giannakopoulos (Nolan 80), Pedersen (Hierro 90). Subs Not Used: Poole, Ben Haim. Booked: Campo. Goals: Pedersen 7, Okocha 27 pen.
Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).
