Martin: My overriding feeling is gratitude
Russell Martin was full of praise for his side but admitted the scoreline was closer than it should have been, as Southampton ended the calendar year with a 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle at St Mary’s.
Despite dominating the first half, the game was goalless at the break before it burst back into life with two goals in seven second half minutes.
The visitors thought they had the lead against the run of play through Bali Mumba's header that was ruled offside, but Saints went up the other end to break the deadlock less than a minute later with a brilliant Charly Alcaraz finish.
Ché Adams doubled the lead just after the hour and Saints looked comfortable, before they gifted the Plymouth a goal in stoppage time when Ryan Hardie tackled Gavin Bazunu to score.
"It's good to start at the end because I think it'll be a brilliant period to reflect on, the last six or seven minutes." Martin admitted, speaking with honesty in his immediate reaction.
"We really dropped off the intensity we showed in the rest of the game. We should have had a goal or two more and they had one shot on target, which was the goal in the end.
"I'm annoyed and the players were as well, they were flat coming in and they shouldn't have been because for 90 minutes or so they were brilliant, really, really top."
"They stayed patient but were quick and aggressive with the ball and scored two really fantastic goals, so it's difficult because over the last six minutes to make everyone feel differently about the team and what they did, because that's really easy to go away from, it's crazy."
Plymouth's consolation goal came from an error in possession from Bazunu, but Martin was quick to address his goalkeeper's mistake as one the team as a whole will learn from.
"Gavin has been so good, so many goals you guys put out [on social media] start with him with the ball at his feet and the intensity he shows, but he received the ball way too much in the last ten minutes, the ball should have been in their half and dominating there.
"It's a really brilliant example in this league of what can happen against anyone when you take your foot off the gas a little bit. We need to stay humble, stay hungry, keep doing the right things at the right times, and stay intense and aggressive as much as you can, because that can happen otherwise.
"So I'm annoyed as we should have another clean sheet here and I'm annoyed for Gavin because he shouldn't concede, but I'm not annoyed with him one bit. He's been amazing, it's been amazing to watch him grow and be so good."
With his side navigating the punishing festive schedule and remaining unbeaten throughout, now in 17 games overall, Martin was keen to push on with a positive focus.
"It's huge. We know we're chasing something really special and we have to do everything we can to keep having the feeling we're experiencing together - the fans, the players, the staff - because it's such a nice place to be when you're enjoying what you do and you have belief in it.
"Carlos’s goal was fantastic and Ché’s goal was fantastic too, Taylor [Harwood-Bellis] played that pass a lot tonight and Janny [Bednarek] played one to Will [Smallbone]. I really liked that tonight, we risked the ball a lot and we tried to penetrate a lot from distance.
"What I’ll be most proud of always is the way the players interact with each other, the way they feel about what they’re doing because what we’re asking them to do is not easy.
"This team has such a strong identity now, in my opinion the players are the bravest in the country as what they’re trying is not easy and the way they take it on is amazing. It’s up to us to make sure they stay in that place of being courageous and aggressive.
"Also the fans now, and the feel of the place when we come here, I genuinely think there’s a lot of joy in what the players are doing from the stands now, I hope. There’s definitely a lot of joy on the pitch and from the sideline watching it."
