Still no joy away for Southampton

For Southampton, it has become almost an annual event. Blackburn, on the other hand, have done it once in 83 years. Such are the sharp contrasts between teams from opposite ends of the Premiership. Saints' repeated sinners, already second from bottom and in an all-too-familiar position, are again facing a harsh winter of discontent. Without an away point so far, the long fight to survive is already anxiously under way.

Seventeen rungs up the ladder, a mere point behind Arsenal the leaders, Rovers are favouring a return to better times after their own successful battle to beat the drop last season. They tasted the heady heights of success with a 1995 Premiership triumph, their first championship at that level since World War I hostilities commenced back in 1914.

Now Blackburn are threatening to become major contenders once more, although new manager Roy Hodgson, in his initial Premiership season, is not looking that far ahead.

He maintains: "So far, we have remained consistent despite having our share of injuries, although they appear to be behind us and we are returning to more of a full strength squad. All very positive. "Equally positive is the fact we are not losing too often - one defeat in 11 League games. Yet much work remains to be done and the job now is to try and retain consistency, stay up there and get back into European football."

Hodgson, too, has words of comfort for David Jones, the young Southampton manager also in his first season of summit stewardship. Says Hodgson: "Southampton again proved the theory that there are no bad teams at this level. Despite being second from bottom, they will cause problems for a great many. They will always make life difficult because they are so well organised and they have some good quality players."

The latest acquisition is David Hirst, a one-time England striker who Jones recruited from Sheffield Wednesday for £2 million last week. Jones is anxious to harness Hirst, unlucky not to score on his debut, with Matthew Le Tissier, who was missing at Ewood Park on Saturday because of the hamstring problem that halted his return following a broken arm suffered in the pre-season campaign.

And the Southampton manager maintains: "If Hirst can come good, there is no reason why he could not figure again in England World Cup plans next summer. The same goes for Le Tissier. Glenn Hoddle has stressed the door is still open. Now it is up to the pair of them."

Southampton failed in the latest mission to break their away points `duck' because they again left the door open at the back, making the sort of mistake you can ill-afford at the highest level. Two defenders went for the same ball as the long clearance from Tim Flowers saw Chris Sutton and Kevin Gallacher combined to set up captain Jim Sherwood for the only goal after 26 minutes of a stop-start game.

Rovers, workmanlike rather than classy, enjoyed greater possession, which inevitably left them vulnerable to the expected counter-punch. Experienced Hirst and his able apprentice Kevin Davies thus threatened a knock-out, although nothing genuinely landed. The home side, too, set out their stall for ultimate success by placing a reliance on wingers with Stuart Ripley, returning form injury, and the youthful Damien Duff duly obliging from the flanks.

Saints had their chances, notably Hirst whose guile and tactical know-how could prove invaluable in the forthcoming scrap to avoid relegation, although Davies carelessly snatched at his best scoring opportunity.