Southampton ... 1 Tottenham ... 0: Returning to Southampton is not a match that Glenn Hoddle and Tottenham's other Saints-turned-Spurs look forward to with particular relish and they will be wary of coming back to St Mary's on Saturday for the sides' FA Cup meeting after James Beattie's late goal gave the home side a fortuitous victory yesterday.
It was a harsh result on the visitors, who created the majority of the chances, a fact that did not bother Southampton's fans who refuse to forgive Hoddle and John Gorman for departing to White Hart Lane in April 2001, and taking Dean Richards to join them five months later.
The trio will be desperate to make amends on Saturday.
Southampton do not do crowd hatred Catalan-style - there were no pigs' heads or whisky bottles thrown from the stands, while the barracking will not provoke sleepless nights - but they were keener to taunt Hoddle with "Judas, what's the score?" than acclaim their matchwinner.
Beattie's goal - his 13th of the season - settled the result, as was the case on Hoddle's first return on St Stephen's Day 2001, and the striker credits his former manager with his rapid rise.
This was one of Beattie's more special efforts, surging into the box before cutting inside Richards and sliding home past Kasey Keller. Hoddle must wish his extra training sessions with Beattie had never happened.
"We worked really hard with him when we were here," Hoddle said, "and he's turned into a very good Premiership striker."
Tottenham created the better chances and Teddy Sheringham should have made an instant impression when he met a Stephen Carr free-kick in the second minute. His flicked header from two yards went narrowly wide.
Robbie Keane was proving a constant pest and twice he almost gave Tottenham the lead in the second half, first denied by Antti Niemi, then dragging his shot wide after jinking through the defence.
Niemi continued to excel, diverting Iversen's header back across goal away from Sheringham who was poised to tap in, then denying the Spurs captain with his legs.
Beattie then snatched the points for Southampton to maintain their unbeaten home record this season.
"That goal summed up James," said Strachan. "He showed great determination, power and the composure that he now has in front of goal."
He will hope for more of the same on Saturday.
Guardian Service
SOUTHAMPTON: Niemi, Telfer, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Bridge, Fernandes (Davies 90), Delap, Oakley, Marsden, Beattie, Ormerod (Tessem 45). Subs Not Used: Jones, Williams, Anders Svensson. Goals: Beattie 82.
TOTTENHAM: Keller, Perry, Richards, King, Carr, Bunjevcevic (Poyet 68), Freund, Taricco (Anderton 68), Sheringham, Keane, Iversen (Acimovic 87). Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Thatcher.
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).
