Southampton boss Alan Pardew is confident David Connolly and Lee Barnard will prove a formidable strike partnership in the absence of Rickie Lambert. Lambert is a doubt for Saturday's npower League One curtain-raiser against Plymouth, and Pardew would have no qualms about playing the pair in attack after they starred in a 4-2 friendly defeat to Reading at the weekend. Pardew told the Southern Daily Echo: "That was the big highlight of the day for me (against Reading), because we only played them in a competitive game at Gillingham together and it didn't go so well. "It's the different type of balls they need and different type of service and they showed when they get in and around each other they can cause different problems to Rickie." He added: "I thought Lee had as good a game as he's had for us and him and Connolly looked sharp. That bodes well for next week."
Source: PA
Source: PA