Southampton broke a 103-year-old club record by going 21 games unbeaten as Russell Martin celebrated his return to Swansea with a 3-1 success.

Che Adams, Will Smallbone and birthday boy Flynn Downes scored first-half goals as the Saints secured a Sky Bet Championship victory that should have been by a far greater margin.

Jamie Paterson gave Swansea brief hope in cutting the deficit to 2-1, but this was a sobering defeat for the hosts – their first in four games since losing at Southampton on Boxing Day.

Southampton have now eclipsed their best unbeaten run in all competitions since joining the Football League in 1920, the Saints going 20 games without defeat the following year.

A sixth win in seven league games moves Southampton into second place, above Ipswich on goal difference before they meet Championship leaders Leicester on Monday.

Martin was given a warm welcome by Swansea fans on his return to the club he managed for two years and left last June.

Luke Williams, who worked as Martin’s assistant at MK Dons and Swansea, was in charge in the home dugout for the first time in the league.

Williams had started his reign with an FA Cup victory over Morecambe and a Championship draw at Birmingham, but this was a far tougher proposition against visitors unbeaten since September 23.

Southampton thrashed Swansea 5-0 at St Mary’s and could have matched that total inside the opening half-hour.

Adams volleyed an inviting opportunity wide before Carl Rushworth pushed Stuart Armstrong’s sixth-minute shot into the Scotland striker’s path for his ninth goal of the season.

Rushworth was the busiest man in Swansea, with several stops including a fantastic double save to deny Ryan Fraser and Adam Armstrong.

Swansea’s defence was breached again after 20 minutes, although there was more than a hint of offside about it.

Stuart Armstrong seemed well beyond the last home defender, but he was allowed to continue and his cross was converted by Smallbone from inside the six-yard box.

Josh Tymon had Swansea’s first effort, looping over from 20 yards, but Rushworth kept them in the contest by kicking away Adam Armstrong’s angled attempt at a post.

Southampton’s share of possession was over 80 per cent at times, but Swansea scored out of nowhere four minutes before the break.

Harrison Ashby’s cross ended in a collision between Saints goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu and Jamal Lowe.

The Swansea striker had possibly been offside, but the ball ran kindly to Liam Cullen and his centre was nodded home by Paterson.

Southampton restored their two-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time as former Swansea midfielder Downes fired home from 20 yards with the aid of a deflection.

Downes was celebrating his 25th birthday, but did not salute his first Saints goal out of respect for his former club.

The second period was a far quieter affair until Paterson struck the Saints woodwork twice in as many minutes.

Bazunu also thwarted substitute Yannick Bolasie from close range as Swansea finished strongly, but without success.

Russell Martin has urged his Southampton players to “make history” after equalling their best English Football League unbeaten run by thrashing Sheffield Wednesday 4-0.

Adam Armstrong scored and set up Che Adams, Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara to mark Saints’ 19th league game without defeat. They moved into the automatic places for the first time since the opening day of the season, ahead of Ipswich’s evening kick-off.

The unbeaten run is only bettered in the club’s history by a 24-match spell in 1896 and 1897.

Martin said: “We are on an unbeaten run where I’m immensely proud of the players. It is incredible what they have achieved and we have to keep it going as long as possible.

“We have never gone ‘we need to chase Leicester and Ipswich’. We are concentrating on ourselves and we’ll see where it takes us.

“It has never been a conscious focus for us but I want them to go and make some history next week.

“I want them to be remembered for that. I want them to do it and it has been an incredible achievement.

“I told them that the biggest incentive was finishing the game in second, for how long who knows. But it is a reward for the hard work they have put in and we are really in the race and the hunt now.

“For the players to put themselves in that position of 20 games unbeaten in all competitions is amazing.

“The way they have done it has shown they are growing. It has been a pleasure to watch but it is now our job to keep them hungry.

“If they do it then we will be in with a really good chance of achieving what we wanted to achieve.”

Adams opened the scoring after collecting an Armstrong cross before rounding a defender and lashing into the bottom corner.

Armstrong got his goal on the counter after Stuart Armstrong fed him before the former Blackburn man brilliantly provided for Fraser and Mara to make it nine straight home victories at St Mary’s.

Martin said of Armstrong: “If he carries on going I will be happy either way.

“He’s been so good and probably playing in a position he doesn’t really want to play. He wants to be the number nine in the team but he’s playing a role he is playing so well in.

“The goals and the assists are what strikers get judged on but there is so much more to it than that with Adam.”

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl was previously an assistant at Saints and is crossing his fingers for his former employers in their automatic promotion hunt.

Rohl said: “It is a big challenge at the top of the table but when you see what they are doing they are a good team.

“Because of my past I cross my fingers for Southampton but it won’t be easy. If they do a job like today then they’ll stand a good chance.”

He added: “That was hard. Southampton played well. It was a game we had to perform well and make no mistakes.

“Everyone was convinced we could have taken something. It is different to three months ago when we came to games and thought there wasn’t a chance. We had the confidence to try something.

“This team is a different league to us. For us it is about staying in the league and for them it is the Premier League.

“All in all it was a deserved victory for Southampton.”

Che Adams and Carlos Alcaraz netted as Southampton continued their assault on the Sky Bet Championship automatic places by beating Plymouth 2-1 at St Mary’s.

Alcaraz’s and Adams’ second-half strikes were also given an official seal of approval as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – a Southampton fan – celebrated them from the stands.

Ryan Hardie pulled one back in stoppage time but Saints are now on a 17-league match unbeaten run – two off their 102-year club record – and have scored 12 goals in their last four fixtures to turn up the pressure on Ipswich and Leicester.

The first half was summed up by Southampton having 81 per cent of possession but not legally finding the back of the net.

Striker Adams did roll the ball past Conor Hazard and into the goal in the fifth minute only to see the offside flag raised.

And then Adam Armstrong had the net rippling as he took aim from inside the centre circle but the ball landed on the roof of the goal with a scrambling Hazard beaten.

Saints continued to push. Kyle Walker-Peters twisted and turned in the box but his shot was weak, Alcaraz swivelled on the edge of the area but struck wide and Ryan Manning dragged wide.

They even hit a post as Manchester City loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis glanced a header from a corner onto the upright.

Argyle had little attacking threat, but Morgan Whittaker was chased down by Samuel Edozie when clean through and their only shot of note saw Ben Waine slice high over the goal.

The visitors thought they had scored 10 minutes into the second period but Bali Mumba was offside before nodding in – moments later Alcaraz had opened the scoring for real and they stared down the barrel of continuing their 100 per cent winless away record.

The Argentinian had already gone close twice since the restart before receiving the ball from Edozie just outside the area before curling sumptuously into the top corner for his fourth goal of the season.

The goal opened the visitors up and after Will Smallbone had glanced a header wide, Adams made it two with some fine strength.

Harwood-Bellis spotted his run and unleashed him with a perfectly clipped ball down the middle, which allowed Adams to hold off his defender and finish past Hazard.

Joe Aribo crashed just wide, Adam Armstrong forced a save out of Hazard while Sekou Mara and Jack Stephens were both blocked on the line.

The Pilgrims did score the first away goal at St Mary’s since November 11 when keeper Gavin Bazunu had the ball pinched off him on his own goalline by Hardie – who tapped in.

Ryan Fraser squandered a one-on-one and Whittaker curled over in a breathless finale but Saints made it seven home victories on the spin.

Watford manager Valerien Ismael praised the impact of his substitutes after two of them combined to earn his side a 1-1 injury-time draw against Southampton at Vicarage Road.

With his side trailing to a Che Adams goal, Ismael sent on Vakoun Bayo and Rhys Healey and the pair combined to maintain Watford’s recent improved form.

Ismael said: “The bench had a massive impact today. I’m pleased that the players came on the pitch to make a difference.

“Everyone is a part of the process. We are working with all the players. I tell them: ‘Your minute will come. You will get your chance’.

“Rhys surprised the keeper with the position he shot from. It’s important for him as a striker to score goals.

“It’s great for him to get that reward. It has been a difficult period when he wants to play more. But he contributed to get us a point. This will give him a great feeling and give him the confidence to know that he can do it.”

Ismael also believes that Watford are beginning to assume the mentality of a side that can push for promotion from their current mid-table position. Their next challenge will come against second-placed Ipswich at Vicarage Road on Tuesday evening.

Ismael added: “There is no doubt that we deserved a point. I am incredibly proud of the players and the evolution of the team against a team that was relegated from the Premier League. There was a big desire and the way that we reacted to conceding the goal.

“You can see how the team is evolving. To attack the top of the table we have to become more ruthless. That is the last step in our evolution. Then we will be ready to get more rewards in these games.”

“So we will take this as a learning step because our opponents today were very strong in possession but we had our moments in transition.”

Southampton manager Russell Martin couldn’t disguise his feeling that his promotion-chasing side had let two points slip away.

With Leicester, Ipswich and Leeds all picking up victories, Southampton now sit 10 points off the automatic promotion places.

Martin said: “I didn’t speak very long with the lads afterwards because I felt so disappointed when we came off the pitch.

“Ultimately it is a point against a team that is in really good form themselves and I really liked the second-half performance. The energy was much better. We had a lot of control still and limited them to one really good moment.

“The first half was OK. We had a lot of control but made too many mistakes in the final third, so we changed the shape a bit at half-time to try to help us.

“But with the amount of moments we had of four v three or three v two in the second half, they needed to come to more. We needed to get the second goal and then it’s game over.

“Sometimes you feel like you’re hanging on in games, but I felt that we were going to get the second goal today. We didn’t and then we conceded a rubbish goal, a really bad goal.

“They smash it forward. We should head it. Instead, we try and get under it and Bayo was athletic and heads it and then Rhys hits one of the worst volleys I’ve seen him hit having worked with him.

“I wanted nine points from the three games this week, especially when the teams above us keep winning.

“I also watched stuff that I’m proud of and that I have enjoyed, but we just can’t have too many slip-ups.

“If we win the next two games, of course I’ll be happy. A point here is a positive one but because of the way it happens, it’s a real disappointment.”

Lawrence Shankland headed a stoppage-time equaliser as Scotland averted more torment in Tbilisi with a 2-2 draw against Georgia.

The Hearts striker was a late call-up for the injured Che Adams and seized his chance when he headed home fellow substitute Stuart Armstrong’s cross two minutes into added time.

Scott McTominay earlier took his Euro 2024 qualifying campaign tally to seven goals when he cancelled out the first of two strikes from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

The Napoli winger proved a threat all night, but Scotland contributed to their own problems with a slack first 45 minutes.

McTominay drilled home from 20 yards four minutes after the restart and, after quickly falling behind again, Scotland finished strongly to prevent a fourth consecutive defeat in Clarke’s 50th game in charge.

Scotland had lost on their two previous visits to the Boris Paichadze stadium, defeats which proved very costly in otherwise promising attempts to qualify for the European Championships of 2008 and 2016.

And, while Clarke’s side had booked their trip to Germany with two games to spare, they were looking to boost their chances of sealing a place among the pot two seeds for next month’s draw.

Georgia, who had only lost four of their previous 20 games, also had plenty to play for given they will be in the play-offs in March courtesy of their Nations League performances, and a crowd of 44,595 plus some needle on the pitch gave the game a competitive edge.

With Angus Gunn injured, Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark got the nod to start ahead of Motherwell’s Liam Kelly for his competitive international debut.

Scotland started with a back four amid the absence of Kieran Tierney, while the likes of Andy Robertson, Aaron Hickey and Grant Hanley were also missing.

There were early signs that Scotland were not quite at it, from the moment Scott McKenna launched the ball out of play from the kick-off.

Ryan Christie then scuppered a promising break by delaying and then over-hitting a pass outside to Callum McGregor.

Billy Gilmour set up McTominay with a clever low corner, but the Manchester United midfielder fired over first time.

Clark made his first save 13 minutes in when he gathered Giorgi Chakvetadze’s long-range drive but he was beaten two minutes later.

Greg Taylor failed to cut out a cross-field pass and wing-back Otar Kakabadze delivered a low first-time cross which Kvaratskhelia swept inside the near post after sliding in just ahead of Ryan Porteous.

Clark soon rescued Scotland with a good parry from Levan Shengelia after a poor pass from Lyndon Dykes, who atoned by blocking the subsequent shot.

Dykes headed off target from Gilmour’s free-kick as Scotland failed to trouble the home goalkeeper in the first half.

Too many passes were going astray and Scotland struggled to produce a telling delivery from several corners and crosses from the right flank.

Half-time changes seemed inevitable and Lewis Ferguson and Kenny McLean came on for Gilmour and Christie.

McLean was soon involved in the first equaliser. The Norwich midfielder collected Taylor’s pass and set up McTominay, whose strike seemed to wrongfoot the home keeper at his near post.

Clark made another good stop to deny Shengelia, this time from a free-kick.

But Georgia kept up the pressure and Kvaratskhelia restored their lead in the 57th minute when he cut inside Nathan Patterson and drilled into the far corner.

Dykes soon thought he had levelled with a near-post header from Patterson’s corner, but Giorgi Mamardashvili produced a brilliant diving save on the line.

Scotland continued to press, although most of their efforts were coming from long range.

Ferguson saw a header saved before Shankland rose to head into the top corner.

Clark put the seal on a satisfying night when he made a near-post stop in the dying seconds.

Scotland take on Georgia in their penultimate Euro 2024 qualifier in Tbilisi on Thursday night.

Steve Clarke’s side have already qualified for Germany after winning five of their first six Group A games.

Here are some of the key talking points ahead of the game at the Boris Paichadze Stadium.

Pots not prizes

Scotland are highly unlikely to top the group given they sit on 15 points with Spain, who are seven goals better off and finish with games against Cyprus and Georgia. An unfortunate slip from Aaron Hickey late on in Seville last month led to a second Spanish goal and wiped out Scotland’s head-to-head advantage. However, good results against Georgia and Norway will boost Scotland’s hopes of landing in the second pot of seeds for next month’s Euro 2024 draw as well as regaining momentum after three consecutive defeats.

Breaking the spell

Scotland have twice come unstuck in Tbilisi before – their Euro 2008 and Euro 2016 campaigns suffered fatal blows against Georgia. Having beaten France home and away, Alex McLeish’s side lost 2-0 against a side featuring three teenagers, including 17-year-old goalkeeper Giorgi Makaridze and 17-year-old goalscorer Levan Mchedlidze. Gordon Strachan was also on the end of a defeat in Tbilisi as the hosts frustrated Scotland in a 1-0 win. Despite being unbeaten against qualification rivals Poland and Republic of Ireland, Scotland missed out on a play-off.

A chance to shine

Scotland are without about half a team of likely starters – Angus Gunn, Kieran Tierney, Grant Hanley, Hickey, Andy Robertson and Che Adams are all absent. The game could give the likes of Nathan Patterson, Greg Taylor, Anthony Ralston, the uncapped Josh Doig and late call-up Lawrence Shankland the chance to impress.

Who is in goal?

Clarke gave nothing away on who would replace Gunn, who has only conceded three goals in six qualifiers. Motherwell captain Liam Kelly and Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark are looking for their competitive debuts after both won their first caps in last month’s 4-1 friendly defeat by France. Rangers number two Robby McCrorie replaced Gunn in the squad.

Motivated opponents

Georgia cannot finish in the top two but they can still go to Euro 2024 through the Nations League play-offs. Willy Sagnol’s side were the top ranked team in Group C after winning emphatically away to Bulgaria and North Macedonia, and will take their place in the play-off tournament in March.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke is focused on finishing their Euro 2024 qualification campaign on a high after sealing their place in Germany amid a hat-trick of defeats.

A 2-0 loss in Spain was sandwiched by friendly defeats against England and France, but five wins from their opening five games in Group A proved enough for a second successive qualification for the European Championship finals after the Spaniards won in Norway.

With a five-month international hiatus to follow, Clarke is eager to ensure Scotland come away from their final competitive matches with points against Georgia and Norway before next summer’s tournament in Germany.

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s clash in Tbilisi, Clarke said: “The idea with the friendly matches against England and France was to test ourselves against the best and see where we measure up.

“Obviously with the results we had, we still have a bit of work to do. We will try to stay humble, respect our opponents and just try to improve all the time.

“Listen, we want to get back to winning ways. It’s not very often in the reign that I have had, apart from the early stages, that we have had consecutive defeats like we have had recently.

“It would be nice to think in the remaining two games we can pick up more points.

“I have always said we want to get as high a points tally as possible and (we have) two more games to try and do that.”

Scotland have lost their previous two games in Georgia, defeats which ultimately prevented them from qualifying for Euro 2008 and 2016.

Clarke’s side have shown the ability to break such negative runs, for instance securing the first play-off success and ending a 23-year wait for a major tournament appearance.

“Listen, in sport what’s past is past, there is nothing we can do to affect that,” Clarke said of the history in Tbilisi. “All we can do is affect the future, the next game we play.

“We have always tried to improve results no matter who we are playing against.”

Georgia lost 7-1 at home to Spain in September but they beat Cyprus 4-0 in their most recent qualifier and are assured of a Euro 2024 play-off place thanks to a Nations League campaign which included big wins in Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

Clarke said: “When you go away from home against a team like Georgia, it’s going to be a difficult environment, a difficult game for us, because they are a very good side.

“The one game they lost heavily was against Spain and that’s a little bit of an anomaly in recent games, because all their games have been very competitive. And we expect that on Thursday night.”

Clarke is without the likes of Angus Gunn, Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Aaron Hickey and Che Adams, but he hopes players such as Josh Doig and Lawrence Shankland can seize the opportunity that injury list presents.

“Over the course of my tenure I have always tried to look a little bit deeper,” he said.

“There will be some squads like this one where we have a number of players missing. But I always say it’s a chance for someone else.

“If everyone else can do better it makes my selection more difficult going into next year. The selection will be difficult. I have to find the right 23 for next summer.

“For now, some boys are in the squad with the chance to make a big impression, not just on me but the rest of my staff and the rest of the country. Let’s see how they perform in the game.”

Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark and Motherwell captain Liam Kelly are vying for competitive debuts after both played 45 minutes against France to win their first caps.

Clarke, who also has Rangers reserve Robby McCrorie in his squad, was not giving anything away on his stand-in choice.

Speaking from Scotland’s training camp in Antalya, Turkey, he said: “The three goalkeepers have trained very well, as they always do, and between now and kick-off I will obviously have to choose one.”

Jordan Hugill smashed and grabbed struggling Rotherham to their first away point of the season with a 1-1 draw at Southampton.

Stuart Armstong had put Saints into an early lead, but Hugill came off the bench to spectacularly lob Gavin Bazunu and end the Millers’ five pointless away trips this season.

Saints had been revitalised by two wins in a week and put in a blitzkrieg of attacking intent as they bombarded the Rotherham goal with 12 first-half shots.

For the second home match in a row, it took just two minutes for Southampton to take the lead as Armstrong followed up after Che Adams had hit a post to tap in from a yard.

It was the Scotland midfielder’s second goal of the week, but it was in stark contrast to the rocketed free-kick he bagged against Stoke on Tuesday night.

Kamaldeen Sulemana gave Dexter Lembikisa a torrid time in the early stages. Having easily beaten the defender, the winger forced Viktor Johansson into a fine save before the Ghanaian cut back to Adam Armstrong to scuff a goal-bound shot.

The hosts thought they had doubled their advantage in the 16th minute after Adam Armstrong had skilfully backheeled in Kyle Walker-Peters’ cross – only for the offside flag to keep the score 1-0.

Millers manager Matty Taylor is under pressure following just one win so far this season and attempted to find a foothold in the match by hooking Fred Onyedinma after 30 minutes and switching to a back three.

Adams forced another good save out of Johansson from a header before the striker attempted an acrobatic shot, but was blocked by Lee Peltier.

A medical emergency at the end of the first half in the home end did not immediately stop play, but delayed the beginning of the second half by almost 15 minutes.

Saints monopolised possession again after the interval but failed to continue the blizzard of shots – with Jan Bednarek’s header a rare test for Johansson.

Johansson was forced into his best save of the match with 20 minutes to go, when a well-worked Saints move saw the keeper keep out Will Smallbone’s shot from point-blank range.

The home side’s failure to take their chances came back to haunt them in the 74th minute as Hugill produced a stunner for his third goal of the season.

The second-half substitute watched a loose defensive header bounce before carefully lifting over a stranded Gavin Bazunu. It was the Millers’ first shot on target and just their second in total.

They came close to a second goal five minutes later as Oliver Rathbone scampered off the left to force a save out of Bazunu.

A low near post save denied Carlos Alcaraz and Jan Bednarek was thwarted on the line as Saints failed to find a winner despite having 80 per cent of possession.

Adam Armstrong continued his impressive start to the season as unbeaten Southampton beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at St Mary’s.

Striker Armstrong fired in his fourth goal of the campaign to hide the gap left by absent Che Adams.

Earlier, Samuel Edozie’s first professional goal and Jack Colback’s long-range daisy-cutter cancelled each other out within three first-half minutes.

Samuel Amo-Ameyaw was handed his first start for Saints – in lieu of Adams, who has been the subject of transfer rumours – and was bidding to be the fourth youngest goalscorer in the club’s history.

The 17-year-old’s first involvement saw him stand up a cross for Carlos Alcaraz – who nodded tamely at Asmir Begovic.

Southampton dominated the first half an hour but, while QPR were restricted to their own half, they stopped Saints from creating heaps of chances.

The only effort of note saw Edozie skilfully leave Paul Smyth on his back down the left flank before feeding Armstrong, whose shot was deflected behind.

Saints picked their way through the regimented defence in the 30th minute. Ryan Manning squirted a perfect through ball for Edozie to cut onto his right foot and smash through Begovic.

It was winger Edozie’s first goal on his 28th senior appearance.

Two minutes and 29 seconds later QPR were back level when Colback’s 20-yard hit and hope went in off the post.

Colback was making his first start since arriving from Nottingham Forest and his goal was the R’s first shot of the match.

The visitors ended the first half the stronger and carried that into the second period.

The lively Ilias Chair shrugged off tackles to skip inside but was denied by Gavin Bazunu, with Sinclair Armstrong offside when he poked in the rebound.

Sinclair Armstrong hit a low shot at the keeper, before Chair was thwarted by Bazunu again three minutes after the interval.

Smyth smashed into the side netting and hit the bar as QPR pushed to take the lead, but it was Saints who would grab the third goal of the game in the 64th minute – their first shot for over half an hour.

Debutant Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara’s introductions allowed Adam Armstrong a freer role and he made the most of it when Manning slid a ball to him.

Armstrong initially mis-controlled the pass but he adjusted to the bobble to fire across Begovic for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Substitute Rayan Kolli had a chance for a stoppage-time equaliser but took a touch and lost his balance when one-on-one to leave QPR with three defeats from four league matches.

Southampton boss Russell Martin felt Che Adams’ stoppage-time winner against Plymouth was no coincidence after a “relentless” second-half showing from his side at Home Park.

The clash between last season’s League One champions Argyle and relegated Premier League side Saints looked set to end in a draw after Ryan Hardie quickly cancelled out Nathan Tella’s 49th-minute opener for the visitors.

But, with four minutes of added time played, Adams snatched victory for Southampton when he turned the ball home at the far post after Plymouth keeper Conor Hazard had palmed out Adam Armstrong’s goal-bound header from a corner.

Martin said: “The late goal is no coincidence, the amount of work we put into the opposition for games.

“The last half an hour, we were really impressive, really dominant.

“I really wasn’t happy with the first half; I told the players that at half-time and I think they feel the same way.

“We have to be really demanding, I said to them we will have a lot of good moments but there will be tough moments.”

One of those tough moments came just a minute before Adams’ late winner, when Plymouth forward Morgan Whittaker struck the post for the hosts.

Martin, whose side now have seven points from their opening three Championship games, added: “We had plenty of tough moments today in the first half and it was our doing and I was frustrated at that. But the way they responded at half-time, they were brilliant.

“The only downside was conceding a goal so soon after conceding. But the character to come back was impressive. Last season was such a disappointing season for everyone and the supporters as well. Their response to the goal we conceded was amazing.

“The players were relentless in the second half and that is what we need to be.

“We will learn as we are building.

“We will improve, there is a lot to improve on. I was really pleased with the mentality of the players, it has given us the belief, the connection with each other.”

Plymouth’s loss was the first in the Championship since winning promotion, having picked up four points from their opening two games.

Argyle boss Steven Schumacher believes his side can take confidence from their performance despite the late disappointment.

He said: “It was a good standard with some real high quality moments in the game from both teams.

“We played our part and probably edged the first half. The second half Southampton came into the game a little bit more.

“They had the huge spells of possession that we expected but all of the time I thought we were always in the game and to lose it like that right at the end of the game is a bit gutting, a bit of a sucker-punch but that’s football, it can be cruel sometimes.

“We still had five minutes to go so I thought we’d get one back. That’s been a trait of our team over the past couple of seasons. We never give in, we never sit back and accept defeat and we kept pushing with four minutes to go and had a couple of chances from set-plays.

“On another day one of them goes in but I can’t fault the lads’ effort. They gave us everything they had today.

“I felt we had the gameplan right and caused Southampton loads of problems.

“I don’t think we started the second half very well and they got momentum right from the kick off and then managed to score.

“But again the lads responded brilliantly and produced a lovely goal from a well-worked move and a great finish by Ryan and it shows once again we can compete at this level. We should grow in confidence from it.”

Southampton striker Che Adams scored a stoppage-time winner as Saints claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory at Plymouth.

Adams controlled the ball and volleyed in from close range at the far post after Argyle keeper Conor Hazard had palmed out Adam Armstrong’s goal-bound header from a corner four minutes into added time.

That winner came after Nathan Tella had put the relegated visitors ahead in the 49th minute, only for Ryan Hardie to pull League One champions Argyle level moments later.

Argyle started well against a Saints side making their first visit along the south coast to Plymouth since 2011.

Finn Azaz, on another season-long loan at Home Park from Aston Villa, was quick to win the ball off Saints defender Jan Bednarek but his shot failed to trouble Gavin Bazunu.

Southampton responded with a free-kick from Stuart Armstrong in the 11th minute which was easily gathered by Hazard at the other end.

The best chance of the opening half was created by Saints on the counter after Azaz’s pass went astray in attack.

Southampton broke quickly through Samuel Edozie down the left and his cross along the edge of the penalty area was helped on by Adams and into the path of Tella, whose shot was turned around the post by Hazard.

Following a goalless first half of limited opportunities, Southampton made a much brighter start to the second period and were rewarded with the opening goal barely four minutes after the restart.

Tella had already gone close with an audacious shot which almost beat Hazard at his near post, the Argyle keeper reacting quickly to turn the stinging effort around his post, but there was no denying the Saints forward moments later.

He fired in a superb first-time shot which curled past Northern Ireland keeper Hazard, who could not reach the effort despite being at full stretch.

However, Southampton celebrations were short-lived as Argyle’s response was almost immediate, replying in the next meaningful attack.

Morgan Whittaker sped down the right and his teasing ball into the box was brilliantly converted at the near post by Hardie with a deft touch to lift the ball past Bazunu.

The goals sparked the game into life and, on the hour mark, Saints came within the width of the bar from retaking the lead as Stuart Armstrong’s dipping strike from the edge of the box beat Hazard but thumped off the top of the woodwork.

Edozie also sent a soaring shot just wide of the diving Hazard and the far post while, in the 86th minute, the Argyle keeper made a top drawer save to acrobatically palm Adam Armstrong’s 22-yard free-kick over the bar.

Plymouth also went close themselves late on when Whittaker’s angled shot came back off the foot of the post as he jinked into the Saints box, but it was Southampton who would claim the points thanks to Adams.

Che Adams climbed off the bench to score a late winner for Southampton on their Sky Bet Championship return and silence taunts of the Sheffield Wednesday fans.

Adams entered the pitch to a chorus of boos due to his association with Sheffield United but eight minutes later he was celebrating scoring the 87th-minute goal that earned the Saints a 2-1 victory at Hillsborough.

It had looked like the Saints, back in the second tier for the first time in over a decade following last season’s Premier League relegation, would endure a frustrating evening as for large parts they failed to turn possession into goal threat.

They had gone ahead early on through Adam Armstrong’s goal – deflecting in Nathan Tella’s shot – and were in total control at half-time, setting a new Championship record for the most number of passes in 45 minutes as they completed 477.

But they were pegged back after the break when Lee Gregory scored for the newly-promoted hosts from a set-piece and the visitors struggled to find a cutting edge.

But Adams’ late introduction changed the course of the game, sweeping home from close range to give Russell Martin a win in his first game in charge as the Saints, whose squad may yet be weakened before the end of the month, laid down an early marker.

Wednesday opened this Football League campaign just 67 days after bringing the curtain down on last season with their League One play-off final at Wembley, but it has been a turbulent time since.

Manager Darren Moore surprisingly left while chairman Dejphon Chansiri used Xisco Munoz’s unveiling press conference to publicly berate former midfielder Carlton Palmer amid fan unrest at spiralling ticket prices.

And things did not start well on the pitch as Southampton took early control, going ahead in just the eighth minute.

To the naked eye, it looked like Tella had scored the first goal of the campaign in style as he cut inside on his left foot and sent a curling effort into the far corner.

But replays showed his shot glanced Armstrong on the way through and the striker was credited with the goal.

It was total Saints domination as James Ward-Prowse, one of those linked with a move away this month, forced Cameron Dawson into a smart low save while Carlos Alcaraz was just off target with a shot from the edge of the area.

Having been robbed of the goal, Tella tried his best to remedy it and went close with a similar effort that was deflected just over the crossbar.

Callum Patterson was then forced to come to Wednesday’s rescue from the resulting corner as he cleared Jack Stephens’ effort off the line.

It did not take much for the hosts to improve after the break and they levelled nine minutes after the restart as Gregory fired home from Akin Famewo’s header back across goal from Barry Bannan’s corner.

The Saints continued to enjoy almost exclusive ownership of the ball but were restricted to long distance efforts, with Stuart Armstrong twice threatening the goal.

Just as it looked like they might have to settle for a point, Adams had the last laugh by tucking home Ward-Prowse’s centre and the Saints saw out nine minutes of stoppage time to post victory.

Former Scotland striker Kenny Miller believes the national team have strong options up front as they approach their latest qualifiers amid the absence of Che Adams.

Adams has been a key player in recent times but Lyndon Dykes started up front in Scotland’s 2-0 win over Spain after the Southampton forward suffered an injury in the opening Euro 2024 qualifying win against Cyprus.

Dykes has scored eight goals for Scotland and Miller feels there are other serious alternatives for Steve Clarke ahead of Saturday’s clash with Norway in Oslo and the visit of Georgia three days later.

Miller told the PA news agency: “Lyndon was crucial to the team making it to the last Euros, sometimes on his own and sometimes with Che.

“I think Lyndon had it nailed, Lyndon had the jersey to himself but Che came in and did very well when he was injured.

“It’s good Steve has the options up front.

“Jacob Brown has been a support act but we have Kevin Nisbet and Lawrence Shankland who have had good seasons, particularly Lawrence at Hearts. So there’s a lot of options.”

Miller, who scored 18 goals for his country, added about the Hearts forward: “I think he’s a really well-rounded striker with a really good level of goals.

“He’s had a wonderful season – 28 goals is a wonderful return for a striker outwith the Old Firm.

“But not just that, I think his all-round game is pretty good.

“He seems to have accepted the responsibility of the captain’s armband in Craig Gordon’s absence really, really well. “It’s a big responsibility, one that’s not affected him in a negative way. If anything it has affected him in a positive way.”

Scotland have a guaranteed play-off place as a fall-back option but Miller is confident they can finish in the top two of Group A following their flying start.

Clarke took the squad on a training camp to Spain last week to prepare for the double-header and further foment the spirit among the players.

Miller, who was speaking after taking part in a McDonald’s Fun Football session with children in Glasgow, said: “People talk about this club atmosphere but what it means is that the team has been doing well and everyone wants to be part of it and everyone is looking forward to going away.

“The group do look like they have got this spirit and togetherness but it comes from what they have created on the pitch.

“It’s been really good performances and really good results, none more so than the last game against Spain where the lads were excellent and really deserved the win.

“And what it has done is put us in a really strong position going into these qualifiers.

“That means we can potentially forget about this play-off position and get there automatically, which I do believe we can.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on but I do believe we will.”