DELL dreams came true for two dozen Saints fans who fulfilled their lifetime's ambitions by playing on the hallowed turf in a special charity match.

They paid around £300 each for the privilege through a special internet auction set up by Football Aid to raise money for diabetes research and other good causes.

Adam Buckingham-Smith and Mark Nevitt, though, won places in a special Echo competition, while Alec Royston won the coveted number nine shirt in a £10 raffle.

He flew in from Dublin specially to play - but that dedication was topped by Derek Murphy who jetted over from the States where he was working on business!

His plane landed at 5.45am and he had to drive to his home in Cambridge to pick up his Football Aid package before heading for Southampton. Despite the jet-lag, the 35-year-old played the full 90 minutes and gasped: "It was great fun but very, very tiring. I'll never shout at players for being lazy again!

"I bid £500 for my place but to be honest I would have paid anything. I have been coming to The Dell for 20 years and this really was the stuff of schoolboy dreams to actually play on the pitch."

Sadly for Derek there was little reward on the pitch as his side in the red and white and managed by Jimmy Case stripes were beaten 8-1 by the team in navy blue under the charge of Peter Rodrigues.

Bryn Thomas was presented with the match-ball for scoring a hat-trick, Andy Mintram got two with the others coming from Scott Gilligan, Perry Cocking and Phil Hall.

Each player was given a Saints shirt with their name printed on the back and a commemorative match programme as a souvenir of the day.

In total £6,525 was raised through the auction for Football Aid which is staging similar games at every Premier League ground in England and Scotland.

Saints though were the first one to host a match and organiser Scott Thorburn said: "It has been a huge success. Everyone had a great day and we are very grateful to the club for making it happen."

More Saints fans will be able to make their dreams come true in a series of six-a-side games at the end of the season as part of the club's Last Kick programme.

The supporters event is sold out but there are still places available in the corporate tournament. Contact Katie Hamilton on 023 8023 6940 for details.

Home: Kevin Hawkins (Southampton), Jonny Saunders (Birmingham), Kevin Harding (Southampton), David Walker (Birmingham), Andy Hitchcock (Brighton), Greg Howson (Guildford), Adrian Sharpe (Shropshire), Simon Mellor (London), Alex Rolston (Eire), Derek Murphy (Cambridge), Ian Phillips (Southampton), Jimmy Case (Southampton), Adam Buckingham-Smith (Southampton).

Away: Paul Manzotti (Birmingham), Neil Tracey (Southampton), Dave Humphreys (Southampton), Paul Chard (Gwent),Stuart Bishop (Andover), Bryn Thomas (Forest Hill), Phil Hall (London), Perry Cocking (Andover), Scott Gilligan (Southampton), Marc Dack (Southampton), Andy Mintram (Southampton), Matt Mullen (Southampton), Phil Baird (Southampton), Mark Nevitt (Southampton).

Officials:

Chris Williams (Gosport), Rod Davies (Southampton), John Ward (Southampton).