The Saints’ 3-1 victory over West Brom was marked by some of the “best” fan support Adam Armstrong had ever witnessed. Prior to kickoff, Southampton supporters responded to the club’s pleas by showing their unwavering support for the players by showing up early to welcome them. They delivered as promised. When the coach arrived at St. Mary’s, the road outside the stadium was crowded with red and white-clad spectators, shooting flares into the air. “It was unbelievable,” he said to the Daily Echo. What a triumph. We did not sugarcoat the fact that we were aware of how huge the game was going into it.All the flares, all the flags and the singing – that’s why you are in football. It was an unbelievable feeling.
I’m at a loss for words. It encouraged us to keep going. Our style of play is bold. The gaffer has mentioned it previously; it’s thrilling but can also be nerve-racking at times. “We have not wavered and have placed ourselves in an incredible situation.”
When Southampton’s players emerged for their pre-match warm-ups, they were met with an even louder response.It was evident that the mood encouraged the players to keep going, which was the goal.They caused the Baggies a great deal of trouble right from the start, coming out of the gates. “We knew it was going to be tough over two legs against West Brom,” Armstrong added.”Anything can happen during the playoffs; this has been demonstrated time and time again.”
All we had to do was feed off the vibe. As soon as we arrived, we were eager to get started. “I was eager to put on my boots and head outside. We still have one game left, but the atmosphere was amazing. Will Smallbone, an academy graduate, gave Southampton the lead when he sprinted onto a give-and-go with David Brooks and sent a shot past Alex Palmer. The Irish international’s goal was his eighth of the year. Armstrong was gushing about his colleague, saying that he had been outstanding this year.
He clarified, “Will has been amazing this season; it’s unbelievable (for him). “It’s difficult for a young player from his hometown team to succeed.He’s probably played almost every minute of this year. He has performed admirably. What a great way to start the second half, with that finish. With 12 regular minutes left, Armstrong scored Southampton’s second goal to give them even more cushion as they moved closer to the championship.
“I was considering trying to achieve a goal. When I seen Flynn (Downes) moving at the defender, I believed I had an opportunity to try. “I always aim to take a shot through the legs of an opponent. Fortunately, it was a great strike that found the back of the goal.” The Geordie’s goal-scoring prowess continued as he scored his second goal of the game from the penalty spot, bringing his season total of goals and assists to 36. In terms of the penalty, I felt fairly at ease. I choose a location and set it there. It was astounding. It’s difficult to say if that was our best performance of the year because there have been many strong ones.