An opportunity missed – Russell Martin angry as late leveller costs Southampton

Southampton boss Russell Martin said his team were “frustrated and angry” at their failure to hold on for victory over battling Huddersfield.

The visitors dominated the first half with 82 percent possession but only broke the deadlock just before the interval through Adam Armstrong.

A rejuvenated Town took the second half by storm and Ben Jackson’s 87th-minute equaliser earned them a point.

Martin said his team’s “mentality” cost them.

“Nowhere near enough energy and intensity. We looked tired towards the end, but there’s no excuse, we should win the game,” Martin said.

“The goal was coming, we just didn’t make enough of our moments in front of the goal, so it’s frustrating, an opportunity missed.

“The game was there for us. We had some brilliant moves in the first half and then we allowed the momentum to shift and the atmosphere to change.

“We became less brave. We were forcing things too much when we didn’t need to because the game was coming to us.

“Our mentality has cost us two points. We need to put that right on Wednesday. I’m annoyed we lost and so are the players, they’re frustrated and angry.”

Martin praised talisman Armstrong, who moved into double figures for goals this season.

“Adam was great, he was one of the ones who played with aggression and intensity. He just needs to keep it going, he’s a fantastic player.

“I want to be higher in the league. I want to have more points, but with what we’re building I can’t ask for any more. I’m angry and upset about the game but grateful for our season so far.

“I am really satisfied with the players who are doing what we ask them to do the majority of the time.

“Days like today are part of the journey, but I’m enjoying it and I’m excited about the future.”

Huddersfield boss Darren Moore hailed the draw as a “special result”.

“The way we went about the game, I thought the boys were unjust to go in at half-time a goal down,” Moore said.

“It’s just a lapse of concentration. I didn’t alter my team talk, it was just for us to get higher up the pitch.

“We could’ve capitalised better on some chances, but I can’t criticise the players because they are doing the right things.

“We had a glorious chance with Sorba Thomas and we had the momentum going forward.

“On the balance of the play, we deserved that today. We got the performance right today in terms of how we managed the game.

“We have had to tighten things up and we capitalised on the counter. How we used the ball during moments was a positive and it’s all credit to the work that everyone has put in recently.

“Today’s result is a special result because of the injuries and who we had available to us at short notice.

“Southampton are an outstanding team and they asked a lot of questions of us, so to set up like we did today we had to be spot on.

“We could have shown a little bit more composure with some of our chances, but that’ll come. Overall it’s a good performance.

“To see us all on the same page and to get that result, everybody can be really pleased with it.”