Connolly singled out for Pardew praise

Last updated : 14 December 2009 By Paul Edwards

Saints won 3 - 1 to keep their fine run going.

Pardew said: "Connolly was the best player on the pitch by a country mile in my opinion.

"I did not think we showed a great deal of our quality, but he just took us up another level."

Told that Southampton, docked 10 points at the start of the season, had moved up five places in the League One table, Pardew said: "I said all along we should look no further than mid-table, and we are not far off that now."

Walsall boss Chris Hutchings, said: "We were bright in the first 30 minutes, then a bit of quality by Connolly and Rickie Lambert was the difference.

"They are very bright players and should be in the Championship and maybe the Premiership. We did not cope with them as well as we should have done but our lads worked very hard.

"I don't think we deserved to be two goals down at half-time and told the lads the next goal would be vital, but Southampton scored it."