Saints update

Apologies for the recent break in posting, I have not had as much time to write as the end to Saints' play-off hopes coincided with the start of exams. Here is a brief update of the past two weeks.

• Saints 3 - 2 Carlisle: Saints again shared five goals with their JPT Final opponents, this time coming out on top by a single goal thanks to a Rickie Lambert strike and a Michail Antonio brace.
• Huddersfield's thrashing of condemned Stockport on the same day, however, mathematically ended Saints' hopes of catching them.
• Following those two goals, that topped off a strong debut season from the Reading loanee, Pardew expressed his intent to extend Antonio's spell at Saints. Reading's decision to extend his contract at the Madjeski by a year does not appear to bode well, but there is a chance he will continue to gain experience at Saints next year.
• Gillingham 2 - 1 Saints: Pardew fielded a new-look side, including Eastleigh signing Aaron Martin at the back and Lee Barnard and David Connolly up front, away to Gillingham for the penultimate game of the season.
• The side struggled without Rickie Lambert, who was brought on at half time to add some much needed firepower as Saints slumped to a poor defeat in front of over 2,000 fans.
• Pardew slammed his players following the match, claiming they had not realised how difficult it would be against a Gills side who needed the win to boost their survival hopes.
• Signing another striker of Lambert's ilk appears likely now in the summer after Pardew expressed his concern that his side's attack looked blunt without his leading marksman. Just what Barnard and Connolly did not want to hear.
• Finally, the summer of discontent has officially begun. A national newspaper has today reported that Pardew is struggling to hang onto his job after failing to make the play-offs despite the 3m spent on players in January. Time for Cortese to come out and back his man in public and put an end to these stories now.