Martin: Watford replay the least we deserved
Russell Martin felt a replay was the least Southampton deserved from their Emirates FA Cup trip to Watford, and expressed his delight at rewarding a bumper away following with a late equaliser.
More than 4,000 Saints fans travelled to Vicarage Road, only to see a much-changed team fall behind to Matheus Martins’s low free-kick inside five minutes.
A quadruple substitution from Martin just after the hour mark helped turn the tide, including the introduction of Stuart Armstrong, whose 89th-minute goal extended Saints’ all-time club record unbeaten run to 22 matches.
It means the sides will meet again at St Mary’s, with the winners set to be rewarded with a trip to Liverpool in the fifth round.
“We deserved that, at least, I think,” the manager said of the 1-1 draw. “I’m really pleased for the supporters – to have 4,000 fans turn up on a Sunday afternoon at two o’clock in not the most glamorous FA Cup tie playing against a team in our division that they’ve already been to this season.
“Really incredible support, really blown away by that, and I’m really pleased that we got the goal for them to celebrate, because I think it’s the least we deserved.
“First half: controlled, but a lack of aggression – out of possession and with the ball. Not enough intensity in the team, and a lot of disappointment at half time because of that from the players, and understandably, because the players have set themselves such high standards.
“We have guys in there so desperate to take the opportunity they’ve been given, because the team has been fairly consistent and been in incredible form, so it’s been difficult to break into the team.
“You have a lot of guys really desperate to show what they can do, and then that frustration and anxiety comes in. That disappointment carried into the first 15 minutes of the second half, and then the guys that came on really helped us.
“We changed formation a few times and went all out to try and win the game. I’m disappointed we didn’t win it in the end, but we scored a little bit too late to really capitalise on it.
“I’m really proud of the players. It’s been a good day – three young guys on the pitch, Charly (Alcaraz) played 90 minutes, Joe Rothwell 60-odd minutes in the tank. So many young players, and exciting young players.
“I’ve seen the draw, and it could be a really amazing opportunity for some people, and something the players deserve if we can try and win the replay. Overall I’m really pleased with what I’ve seen, especially in the second half.”
