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Southampton are finally motoring under Claude Puel – thanks to Charlie Austin.
On a night when two long waits ended, Austin scored twice to secure Southampton’s first win under new boss Puel at the fifth attempt and get their Europa League group stage campaign off to a flier.
Southampton were dumped out of this competition by Danes Midtjylland in the final play-off round last season.
But they bounced back in the Europa League against Czech’s Sparta Prague after Austin’s double and a late strike from Jay Rodriguez.
Austin scored with his first touch in a Southampton shirt against Manchester United in January following his £4m move from QPR but had failed to find the net in 303 minutes since.
But in just 27 minutes at St Mary’s he trebled his Southampton goal tally to justify Puel’s decision to recall him.
His first came from the spot after another Southampton penalty row – though at least this time it was for one of they were awarded.
Southampton have been in a spot of bother over penalties this season, conceding three already compared to the one they gave away last season. The last of those was a controversial one at Arsenal on Saturday that sent them to a late defeat.
Last night the debate was only about who would take the one they were awarded and Austin won the battle with regular taker Dusan Tadic to open the scoring before adding a second before the break.
It was the ideal start to Group K for Puel, an experienced european campaigner with a Champions League semi-final and Intertoto Cup win on his CV, and helped ease the worries over their early season form.
Sparta Prague are European regulars and reached the quarter-finals of this competition last season.
But their record against English sides was one that gave Southampton hope of notching a first win of the season.
The Czech’s had not beaten an English top-flight side in their previous 14 attempts, losing 10 times, with their last victory coming against Watford in 1983.
Puel shuffled his pack again in pursuit of the winning formula, making seven changes, and one of the new faces handed Southampton a perfect start in the fifth minute.
Austin saw his cross hit the arm of sliding Sparta defender Costa and, after the officials got their heads together, referee Manuel Grafe eventually pointed to the spot.
There was another delay as Austin and Dusan Tadic argued over who should take the kick.
Captain Virgil Van Dijk pulled rank to ensure Austin took it and the striker didn’t let his skipper down by cooly converting before kissing and making up with Tadic.
Van Dijk then headed over and Austin was denied a second firstly by keeper Tomas Koubek and then a close offside call when his header from Martina’s cross was chalked off.
But just two minutes later the duo combined again and this time Austin got his timing right to nod in Martina’s stabbed centre.
Southampton were well in control but still had to be on their toes to avoid giving Sparta hope.
The visitors failed to make the most of the promising situations they created before the break. The second half introduction of danger man David Lafata gave them a bit more cutting edge.
Fraser Forster, a spectator for the first 66 minutes, had to be alert to beat away a thumping half-volley from the prolific veteran striker.
But Saints were not finished and Long crossed for Jay Rodriguez to side-foot home in the 92nd minute.
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