Swansea 0-0 Southampton
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Southampton extended their unbeaten run to six games with a hard-earned point at Swansea.
Rickie Lambert came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half when his free-kick forced Michel Vorm to make a fingertip save.
Swansea found it hard to break down a stubborn defence and Nathan Dyer had a shot cleared off the line by Maya Yoshida.
Vorm preserved a point for Swansea when he denied substitute Emmanuel Mayuka.
Southampton are eight points clear of the Premier League's relegation zone but Swansea have now gone five games without victory.
Swans boss Michael Laudrup had described the match as a must-win game in their bid to finish in the top 10 with only three points separating the sides at the start of play.
Laudrup's side started brightly and Angel Rangel's volley into the box missed the outstretched boot of Luke Moore, before Jonathan de Guzman's shot was blocked by Jos Hooiveld.
Luke Moore narrowly failed to get on the end of a Dyer's cross but the Saints were slowly growing into the game.
Jack Cork's effort from 25 yards forced Vorm into making the first save of the game and Jay Rodriguez tried his luck with a speculative effort which went over the crossbar.
Rodriguez, who replaced Gaston Ramirez in the starting line-up, fired a low shot from the edge of the box which Vorm had to stretch to save.
Southampton continued to press and were awarded a free-kick following Chico Flores' foul on Adam Lallana on the edge of the penalty area.
Lambert curled in a dangerous kick which was heading into the top corner before Vorm pulled off a spectacular save to tip the ball over the crossbar.
From the resulting corner Vorm failed to hold onto the ball and Lallana netted - but the Southampton captain was adjudged to have fouled the keeper and the goal was disallowed.
A Swansea change at the interval saw Wayne Routledge replacing Luke Moore and the substitute created the first chance of the second half.
Routledge got behind the Southampton defence and crossed from the right but top-scorer Michu headed over Artur Boruc's crossbar.
Michu flashed a header wide before the Spaniard capitalised on an error by Lallana to set up Dyer, but the winger's effort was cleared off the line by Maya Yoshida.
Swansea kept probing but found themselves up against a resilient Southampton defence and Boruc denied De Guzman and Dyer.
Substitute Mayuka came close to snatching all three points for Southampton with a minute remaining but Vorm saved his his close-range effort with his leg.
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup:
"We did so well on occasions until the last pass.
"The last pass is so important and it is an area we could have done better in.
"I think we should have won but when you don't you have to accept a draw and look on the positive side. We had conceded two goals in each of our last four games and we have now kept a clean sheet."
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino:
"It was not a very good game but we are unbeaten in six games and I am happy with the clean sheet.
"Maybe we should have won because we created the best chances but their goalkeeper made two outstanding saves.
"I don't know if 39 points will be enough for us to stay in the Premier League, we just have to go on and try and win the next game, that is always our goal."
- Published20 April 2013
- Published20 April 2013