Saints boss Nigel Adkins said he was “hurting” after seeing Saints fall to a hugely disappointing 2-0 defeat to Brentford.

The rare St Mary’s loss was the result of an uncharacteristically poor Saints display and compounded the news that Lee Barnard looks like missing a couple of weeks with a groin injury.

After the game a frustrated Adkins said: “We had a discussion in the dressing room because today wasn’t acceptable.

“We had a good ten day’s training, really good, and there was a good feeling about the place but it’s what you do on a Saturday that matters.

“Credit to Brentford, their centre forwards dominated us and did very well and as a team I thought they worked very hard.

“Goals change games do they not and the goalkeeper pulled a worldie off Guly in the first minute and he made three wonderful saves throughout the course of the first half and we could have had a penalty but goals change games and the one Brentford scored gave them something to work even harder for and the second one as well.

“From our point of view they are two goals we’re not happy with at all and that gave us a mountain to climb.

“At 2-0 down you have an opportunity to stay in the game and get something but we haven’t and that’s the annoying thing.

“You can have all the talent in the world but if you don’t work harder than the opposition then you’re always going to be up against it.”

For more match reaction, don't miss Monday's Daily Echo.