Southampton 4-0 Walsall: Saints thrash Saddlers to progress in FA Cup

Southampton stretched their unbeaten run to 19 matches by cruising into the FA Cup fourth round at the expense of League Two underdogs Walsall.

Ryan Fraser was the chief architect of the Saddlers' downfall, producing a pair of classy finishes for much-changed Saints' first and third goals as well as setting up Sekou Mara in between.

Walsall had their moments and midfielder Jack Earing missed a golden chance to bring them level at 1-1 but the Championship high-fliers were full value for their emphatic victory.

Substitute Che Adams added a late fourth as Saints continued their fine recent record at this stage of the competition by registering a seventh third-round triumph in their past eight campaigns.

Russell Martin had promised to field a strong side despite Saints' top priority being their bid for an immediate return to the Premier League, sitting just three points off the automatic promotion spots.

Some eyebrows might have been raised therefore with the nine changes he made but a largely second-string outfit flew out of the blocks, looking every inch a side that began the game 56 places above the visitors.

Fraser has struggled for starts during his loan spell from Newcastle but has hit winners at Hull and Millwall, netted two off the bench against Swansea and again reminded Martin of his ability here.

He exquisitely chested down Taylor Harwood-Bellis' ball over the top of the Walsall defence to give the hosts a lead they rarely looked like relinquishing at St Mary's.

Mara missed a sitter from inside the six-yard box but later made amends with a tidy turn and finish into the roof of the net from Fraser's pull-back for Saints' second.

Fraser curled a beauty into the corner to seal matters and, after Adams fired home Carlos Alcaraz's pass to make it four, the Scot was denied a hat-trick in stoppage time by Jackson Smith's save.

Walsall had won six of their previous seven games to reinvigorate a flagging season but their mounting injury issues were laid bare by the fact they were only able to fill six substitute slots of nine available.

The Saddlers were also hindered by Friday's recall of 10-goal leading league scorer Freddie Draper by parent club Lincoln but began to offer a threat going forward after a one-sided opening half-hour.

However, they failed to take their best chances either side of the break as Isaac Hutchinson was denied by Joe Lumley and Tom Knowles twice went close before Earing's key miss.

Southampton boss Russell Martin:

"I was a bit frustrated at half-time because we started so well and then for 15 minutes we took our feet off the gas a bit.

"We had a big scare early in the second half because there wasn't enough intensity - it was almost like a wake-up call for the players and after that, I thought it was a really top performance.

"We want to go as far as we can in the cup because you have opportunities like today for the guys who haven't played so much.

"Ryan Fraser was really great today, brilliant - he has an amazing attitude and is such a good example to the young guys. He's been brilliant for us coming off the bench but Sam Edozie has an injury now so Ryan has put himself right in the frame to play from the start."

Walsall boss Mat Sadler:

"At half-time and for the first 15 minutes of the second half we were certainly in the game but, listen, they are a fantastic team and I'm glad we don't have to play them.

"There are going to be some big games for my group ahead in the future, I'm sure of it, that's what we are building towards and if we can take anything from the experience of today into those games then it's certainly been worthwhile.

"We had to change shape during the first half and readjust - and the belief they showed as they grew into the game was unbelievable, it was fantastic to see.

"Of course we just didn't quite score when we needed to - we had three really good chances and unfortunately we just didn't take one of those. But I thought my group were exceptional - the result is the result but you look at the performance and I was so, so proud of them."