Kevin Davies accused Igor Stimac of trying to get him sent off as Saints went down 3-0 at West Ham.

The Croatian defender had already got Davies booked when he ran 30 yards, hurled himself at the Saints striker and then dropped to the ground as though he had been struck.

It was a cynical piece of cheating but crime did not pay as Stimac came off worst and ended up being stretchered off as Davies looked on in bemusement.

Davies said: "I saw him coming so I just stood my ground. I have a fair bit of body muscle and he just bounced off me.

"There is no doubt in my mind that he was trying to get me sent off. There is no other reason why he would just run at me like that. He's done that to me before.

"I knew I had not done anything but, of course, I looked straight at the linesman and I was very relieved when he waved his arms to indicate to the referee that nothing had happened.

"It would have been awful to have gone off for that and to have missed the last game at The Dell and possibly the start of next season.

"I did not even think I should have been booked earlier. I jumped for the ball and Stimac went down as though I had thrown an elbow."

Davies found himself in the wars all through the game, enjoying and largely wining a meaty tussle with Stuart Pearce.

But the Southampton man dismissed any suggestion there had been any ill-feeling from last season's encounter when Pearce broke a leg in an accidental collision with Davies.

"We had a laugh and a joke throughout the game so I don't think he was looking for me. He is not like that," added Davies.

"I've got a few bumps but the main thing is the hurt at losing again and letting Stuart Gray down.

"We were comfortable until they scored. Hassan is disappointed he did not clear it and the gaffer is disappointed we did not react afterwards.

"The second goal killed us. But we should have taken the lead while we were on top. I had a header at the start of the second half and if that had gone in I think we would have won.

"There were a few niggles in the dressing room afterwards. Dean Richards said when we have a team on the rack we must punish them as they do to us.

"It's a fair comment from him because it is frustrating for defenders who are looking for us to score and keep the pressure off them.

"But we have two massive games to finish with now and we have to regroup and try to win them both."

Davies was not the only one nursing a few bumps. Uwe Rosler was helped off groggaly just 16 minutes after coming on as substitute.

He took an elbow in the face from Christian Dailly as they jumped for a ball and was left with a nasty cut under his left eye and mild concussion.