Saints 3-2 Arsenal – last competitive match at the Dell

Matthew Le Tissier gave the hallowed ground the perfect send-off producing a vintage piece of skill to score the winning goal just two minutes from time as Saints said farewell to their home with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Arsenal.

It was the goal every Saints fan wanted to see in the last ever Premier League match at the Dell as Le Tissier brought the ball down and thumped into the top left corner with his left foot from 15-yards to send the stadium wild with delight.

It could hardly have been scripted better as Saints twice came from behind with two goals from Hassan Kachloul in was his farewell appearance for the club on May 19, 2001.

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Arsenal threatened to spoil the party by taking a shock lead after 26-minutes when Ashley Cole sprinted down the left, had a shot parried but knocked home the rebound.

But just 35-seconds after the break Kachloul got his first league goal since the opening day of the season chipping in from the left edge of the area.

The Gunners hit back on 54-minutes when Thierry Henry broke clear and squared for Freddie Ljungberg to slot home unmarked.

But Saints levelled again on the hour when Kachloul prodded into an empty net following a firm challenge on the keeper by James Beattie.

The game was heading for a stalemate until two minutes from the end when the fans favourite had the honour and glory of scoring the last ever league goal at the stadium - a fitting way for it all to end.

The party was almost spoilt with a good-humoured pitch invasion at the final whistle with an army of stewards doing a tremendous job to get the ground clear for a lap of honour to take place.