Kilbane stunner sends Saints marching

He could get the full game he craves at Newcastle tomorrow, as Saints have now gone 468 minutes without a goal since Glenn Hoddle decamped for Tottenham five games ago.

Le Tissier came on for the final 25 minutes on Saturday, the longest he has worn a Saints shirt since he started against Manchester City last October.

He could not save the match on his long-awaited return from hernia and achilles tendon problems, but was inventive enough to set up the chances that should have seen his side at least draw.

Instead, the Saints were beaten again, this time by an outrageous overhead kick by Kevin Kilbane from a Gavin McCann free kick. It was the kind of effort Le Tissier himself used to produce regularly at The Dell.

He said: 'I want to stay at this club and be a part of it when we move to our new ground next season. I also hope to be playing well enough to get back into the team.

'Coming on for the last 25 minutes was not enough to save the game but it's the longest I've played in the first team for some time.

'I really want a new contract but so far there have been no talks.'

Afterwards the old maestro, who continues to win the respect of adoring fans, was off home to Guernsey to celebrate his parents' 40th wedding anniversary.

But he had done enough to prove the hunger was there, and so too was the easy ability that brought chances which should have been taken by colleagues like James Beattie, the top scorer who appears to have lost his confidence, and Marian Pahars, who has lost his way.

Southampton left Sunderland clinging on by their fingernails, and Saints' interim manager Stuart Gray insisted that although his team were 'done by a freak goal' he would have been more concerned had they not made chances.

Beattie was unfortunate to have

his seventh-minute effort ruled out for offside, even though assistant referee Andrew Harvey had changed his mind and lowered his flag.

Referee Alan Wiley explained: 'As soon as I saw the flag go up I blew the whistle and therefore the game had been stopped. Whatever happened after that was irrelevant.'

Kilbane, meanwhile, was quick to reject the idea his Sunderland goal was one that he might never score again.

He said: 'A few of the lads in the dressing room afterwards were saying how lucky I was. But I honestly meant it.

'Gavin did not quite get enough on the ball. As it reached me I fell back and hooked it on and it disappeared into the net. It was a terrific boost for me and the team.'

Kilbane has taken time to win over perfectionist Wearside fans and, as manager Peter Reid admitted, his wingman has had to endure a tough time.

Reid said: 'It has taken Kevin some time to settle in and he has lost a little confidence, but his attitude has been that he'll prove people wrong and I don't doubt that he will.

'Some of the trouble is that he looks laid back but that's just his style, the way he plays. The first thing I said to him about the goal was: "Did you mean it?î. He assured me he deliberately helped it on.'

Kilbane, reflectiong on his recent ups and downs, added: 'I believe I have overcome the abuse I received and that I am strong enough to deal with it anyway. Some were getting on my back and it did affect me a little.'

It was a relief for Reid to return to winning ways but for Saints the search for goals and points continues and perhaps the exit of Hoddle has damaged them more than they believed. Gray refused to blame bad luck and said of the Beattie incident: 'The referee saw the hesitation of the linesman with his flag and probably acted too quickly. For me, Beattie was easily on- side although it is always difficult to judge. But it definitely affected our confidence.'

The caretaker faces a tough task to get his club back on line and the longer Saints go without a victory the more pressure there will be for chairman Rupert Lowe to extend his list of candidates who will eventually take over the job.