On the Cross verdict - Millwall 0 Saints 2

For once the On the Cross crystal ball was in good working order as Harry went with the predicted line-up and subs bench.

With Hajto and Powell suspended, Cranie was pushed to right back to allow the return of Michael Svensson who rested his sore knee in the mid-week game against Leeds. Hajto may be regretting his enforced absence as Cranie put in a performance beyond his years, showing composure, skill and much needed pace. Typically defenders take longer than midfielders or strikers to emerge, as they need time to physically mature and to gain the experience required to get their positioning right.

Despite his obvious talent, Cranie’s lack of experience has showed in some of his previous games in a Saints shirt, but today he looked the real deal and showed why he is the England U19 captain. After a good game in his favoured position in central defence against Leeds, he was equally at home at right back and will be unlucky to miss out against Stoke if Hajto returns in his place.

How great to have genuine competition in goal, defence and midfield. If only Marian Pahars can return up front and to some kind of form the same might be said about the attack. However, 16 year old Theo Walcott once again showed that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

Despite a solitary start to his name, his reputation has clearly proceeded him and he took some fearful knocks from the Millwall defenders. At one stage you expected the youngster’s mum to come onto the field to tell off the bullies!

Two starts, two goals and unfortunately this performance will attract too much attention from the national press. The press box was full of journalists there to write up Dennis Wise’s return to Millwall, but it was Theo’s performance that will have caught their eye.

No doubt we are due more tedious speculation about the big guns coming in for the kid, but the fact is he is in the right place to develop his game. The lower profile of the Championship and the aggressive nature of the defending will help him learn the game far better than a season in Chelski’s reserves.

Make no mistake, if Saints sell him prematurely it will be a crime of the highest order.

Three points for Saints! Yes, you read it right. Saints really did win for the first time in 10 games. Perhaps it took the loss against Leeds to get the endless run of draws out of the system, but it’s a real relief to finally take home the 3 points, albeit against the bottom side who boast the worst home record in the Football League.

Saints did not play as well as they can, but in truth Millwall were out to unsettle Saints from the start and in particular Theo Walcott from the start with some agricultural defending. It was no surprise to see them down to ten men at half-time, when Ifil saw red for a second bookable defence. Although it seemed only a matter of time until one of the yellows turned to red, the sending off was harsh with Ifil making minimal contact on Higginbotham.

Ironically, the sending off seemed to spur Millwall on, as they switched to a enterprising 3-3-3 formation. This should have meant they were there for the taking, but after the relative sharp shooting of the first half, Saints reverted to the profligacy in front of goal that is their recent trademark. Belmadi was particularly culpable when he cut past the defender with a lovely piece of skill and then powered the ball into the skies when through on goal.

Fortunately, Millwall’s shooting was as poor as that of Saints. Theo Walcott’s strike made him briefly Saints equal top scorer with two. This seemed to spur Ricardo Fuller into action as shortly afterwards he returned to the top of the scoring chart tucking away a free header from 8 yards with the kind of simple finish that Saints have been crying out for.

As luck would have it, despite our league position remaining relatively stable during the succession of dropped points, today’s win only put Saints one place up to 9th with virtually all the sides above us winning or drawing. We are still within two points of the play-off zone and it is vital that this victory is followed up against Stoke and Palace at home.

Man of the match: a mature display from the ever improving Martin Cranie, showing that the Saints academy is about more than Theo Walcott.

Cameo of the day: denied a full 90 minutes by cramp, Theo Walcott could once again have had a hat-trick, but had the good grace to keep it down to one to keep Fuller at the top of the scorer charts.

Lemon of the day: after doing the hard part, Djamel Belmadi jinked his way through to goal and the net looked set to bulge as with his beauty against Crewe, only he spooned it over the bar. He's getting fitter and he's getting closer. My tip to score against Stoke.