So’ton 2 – 1 Blackpool

Romain Perraud scored twice to seal Southampton’s place in the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Mick McCarthy’s Blackpool at St Mary’s.

The Seasiders, swimming in the bottom two of the Championship, held their own in the first half against Premier League opposition in new boss McCarthy’s first game.

But they trailed at the break after Perraud scored from a free-kick, and the France full-back extended his side’s advantage midway through the second half before Charlie Patino pulled one back.

The result ensures Southampton are just one win away from reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the fourth time in six seasons.

Saturday was Saints’ second cup game in five days, having lost their Carabao Cup semi-final to Newcastle 1-0 on Tuesday and leading boss Nathan Jones to make eight changes.

Mislav Orsic first tested Chris Maxwell when he curled an effort into Blackpool’s left corner after four minutes.

Maxwell then avoided an early opener when he beat Sekou Mara’s diving tackle in the six-yard box to clear, with the Saints striker picking up a booking in the incident.

The hosts were the brighter side in a slow start to the period, with few chances for their opponents by the 15 minute mark.

Orsic tried to start something when he latched onto a cross from the right and laid it off for Perraud, but the angle was too tight to take.

Not long after, the French scored the opening goal.

CJ Hamilton was booked for bringing down Samuel Edozie on the edge of the area, and Perraud wasted no time as he fired a free-kick straight into the bottom left of the goal.

The Seasiders came close to leveling when Jerry Yates fired a shot at Willy Caballero, who jumped to the top of the woodwork, and enjoyed the first half, but was unable to convert from a corner or free-kick.

Southampton survived an early second-half scare as they allowed Yates to play Ian Poveda through on goal from the left. Caballero stepped forward to stop an early effort from inside the area, but could only block the initial effort.

Poveda pounced on the rebound as the Saints keeper and two defenders retreated to the goal line, breathing a sigh of relief as the Blackpool striker headed home his effort.

The hosts made it 2-0 after the restart when Perraud pounced on Mara in the area and fired a left-footed strike past Maxwell into the bottom right corner.

Blackpool cut the deficit within five minutes when Poveda fed Patino, who finished with a close-range effort into the bottom left corner to deny the hosts a clean sheet. A VAR check quickly determined that there was no offside in the build-up and the goal stood.

Substitute Theo Walcott almost made it three for the hosts when his effort from the right took a deflection off the blue shirt and bounced dangerously close to the goal line before landing in the roof of the net.

The Saints thwarted the Seasiders in six minutes of added time, Che Adams blocking Callum Connolly’s effort and Caballero getting a glove on Charlie Goode’s header to wrap up the win.

What’s next?

Southampton’s The next game is the Carabao Cup second round semi-final Newcastle Friday, when they will be looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit and reach the final at Wembley. The game will live Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm.

Nathan Jones’ men then return to Premier League action on Saturday with a trip to Brentford; kick-off at 3pm.

Blackpool’s next outing in the Championship on Friday, when they travel to Middlesbrough; kick-off at 3pm.

Mick McCarthy then took charge of the first home game as Blackpool boss, with Rotherham visit Bloomfield Road on Saturday, February 11; kick-off at 3pm.