Southampton 5 Walsall 1

Incredibly it was Walsall who took an early lead but Saints roared back and were hugely convincing winners.

Results elsewhere meant that Saints closed the gap on the top six by two points.

They now sit 17 points off of sixth placed Huddersfield, who they face at St Mary’s on Tuesday, with two games in hand from a total of 15 left to play this season.

Walsall got an early chance to try and take on Kelvin Davis when they won a free kick 25 yards out to the right of centre.

Matthew Richards stepped up to take it and curled it left footed past the diving Davis to give Saints an early blow as they trailed 1-0.

Saints went straight up the other end though and forced Rene Gilmartin into a good save from a diving header from Rickie Lambert.

Saints were really putting the pressure on after falling behind and Gilmartin made another good stop on six minutes, this time diving to his left to keep out Lee Barnard.

But the pressure did tell on eight minutes when Saints levelled it up.

Jason Puncheon was the man who got his first goal for the club as he picked up a knocked down header from Lambert who was found by a cross from the left.

Puncheon hit an early shot from the edge of the area that was well directed and beat Gilmartin and went in off the inside of the post for 1-1.

Saints were looking in control of the match and Lambert tried an audacious effort from distance that dropped not far over the bar.

It seemed they had taken the lead on 20 minutes but it was ruled out by the officials.

Dean Hammond met a cross with a great header that rattled the crossbar. Barnard followed it up and tapped it in but the linesman’s flag was up for offside.

Puncheon had another effort three minutes later, again after being fed by Lambert, but this time it was just wide.

Saints were all over Walsall – they hadn’t looked back since falling behind but they needed to capitalise and make the most of their total dominance and get their noses in front.

Barnard tried to do just that with a sharp shot on the turn in the area but it was bravely blocked on its way to goal.

But on 33 minutes there was no keeping him out.

The ball came in from the right from Puncheon, it was headed back across goal by Lambert to Barnard was on hand to give Saints a 2-1 lead.

Amazingly, having been out of the match since their goal, Clayton McDonald’s header from a corner for Walsall just two minutes later needed a good stop on the line to keep it out.

But it was Saints’ day all over and they got another goal on 37 minutes.

Jon Otsemobor got the ball in from the right, Barnard pulled it down and quickly smashed it past Gilmartin for 3-1.

Darryl Westlake was the first player in the book for a foul on Hammond.

Lambert was found by Dan Harding a minute before half time, he turned and hit a shot that curled but just past the post.

Saints almost got another just before the break as a neat free kick put Adam Lallana in, Gilmartin made two point blank saves from Hammond and Barnard put it over.

That proved to be the last chance of the half but it had a been a good one for Saints who had dominated the first 45 minutes and seemingly had the chance to push on for more goals in the second period.

The second half didn’t quite start with the excitement of the first with Saints feeling so comfortable with their lead and having been so far in command.

The main decision for them was whether they really wanted to try and make a statement by making the scoreline even more empathic.

Hammond came close with the first chance of the second period on 59 minutes as another Lambert header put him in.

The midfielder got the ball just about under the body of Gilmartin but Richards was back on the line to stop it going in.

On 61 minutes Lambert went on his own and got himself his 25th goal of the season.

He was picked out by a raking pass from Hammond, took the ball down on his chest, sent a dummy to commit the keeper and powered the ball past him for 4-1.

Alan Pardew made his first change on 64 minutes with Papa Waigo coming on for Barnard.

Walsall responded with a double substitution of their own five minutes later with Rhys Weston and Steve Jones replacing Westlake and Darren Byfield.

Davis had a rare save to make moments later as he kept out an effort from Alex Nicholls.

Lallana had a great chance to get another goal on 71 minutes as Waigo got to the by-line and cut it back but from eight yards out he missed the target.

Saints made another switch two minutes later with Wayne Thomas coming on for Radhi Jaidi.

The game was in a bit of a lull with Saints having already done enough to secure the win and Walsall on something of a damage limitation exercise even though they were playing better.

Saints made a final change with six minutes remaining as Michail Antonio came on for Lambert.

Lallana topped off a terrific day for Saints as he made it 5-1 in the final minute of the match.

Waigo put in a great ball across the face of the six yard box and Lallana came in to finish and add the cherry to the icing on the cake.

That goal secured a biggest win of the season for Saints and a real morale booster ahead of the visit of Huddersfield to St Mary’s on Tuesday night.

Saints

Davis, Otsemobor, Fonte, Jaidi (Thomas 73), Harding, Puncheon, Hammond, Schneiderlin, Lallana, Lambert (Antonio 84), Barnard (Waigo 64).
Subs (not used): Bialkowski, Wotton, Perry, Mills.

Walsall

Gilmartin, Richards, McDonald, Vincent, Westlake (Weston 69), Nicholls, Taundry, O'Keefe, Gray, Deeney, Byfield (Jones 69).
Subs (not used): Ince, Sansara, Hughes, Bradley, Adkins.

Referee: Mr. Graham Scott, Oxfordshire

Attendance 20,461.