Arsenal 6 Southampton 1
Youngster Jermaine Pennant hit a stunning first-half hat-trick as Arsenal hammered Southampton 6-1 in an FA Cup final dress-rehearsal at Highbury tonight.
On his first Premiership start, the 20-year-old winger scored two right-footed strikes and a header to mark his debut in some style. It will only add fuel to the critics that said he and not Sylvain Wiltord should have played in the championship run-in.
Robert Pires also claimed three for himself to give Southampton a real fright ahead of the Cup final in Cardiff on May 17th and prolong their miserable run which has delivered just one victory in the last eight matches.
The floodgates opened just eight minutes in when Pires blasted into the roof of the net from an acute angle. Ray Parlour played a one-two with Kanu and sprinted through towards Paul Jones. The Wales keeper got a hand to Parlour's cross shot but only managed to deflect it into the path of the grateful Pires.
Pennant made it two just nine minutes later. Footballer of the Year Thierry Henry cut into the box and squared the ball for Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The Dutchman unselfishly squared again for Pennant who hit a great low drive across Jones to claim his first goal for the club.
Within three minutes Pennant extended the lead with a simple header. Jones did well to get a leg to Henry's deflected shot but the ball spooned up kindly for the youngster to double his tally.
The goals kept coming and Pires made it four, cooly slotting home after Henry played him in. Pennant only had to wait a further three minutes to complete his hat-trick. Henry was again the provider, jinking through the midfield before playing in Pennant who once more hit a right foot shot across Jones for a spectacular treble.
Norwegian striker Jo Tessem converted Wayne Bridge's cross to pull one back ten minutes before half-time but Pires restored the difference a minute after the interval.
The Frenchman claimed his own hat-trick with a stunning first-time lob over poor Jones - a goal that brought a standing ovation from the Highbury faithful.
The Gunners are desperate to win some silverware this season after squandering a five-point lead in the Premiership and exiting the Champions League at the second group stage. On this evidence, Southampton will do very well to prevent six-gun Arsenal from retaining the FA Cup in ten days' time.
PA