Tonda Eckert hails Southampton’s never-say-die attitude after win over Stoke

Tonda Eckert praised his players’ never-say-die attitude as Southampton secured their first win of the season with a dramatic 3-1 victory over Stoke.

With the game heading for a draw, a late goal from Divin Mubama and a Ryan Manning penalty gave Saints a crucial victory as they strive to quickly overturn their four-point deduction.

They led through an early goal from Cyle Larin before Ethan Galbraith deservedly levelled for Stoke, who have now lost their opening two games of the season.

To cap a miserable day for Stoke boss Mark Robins, Svante Ingelsson was also sent off for a second booking after bringing down Samuel Edozie for the penalty.

Eckert said: “I think as much as you want to be at 100 per cent in the way a game goes, that’s just not the way at the beginning of the season. We made a commitment at half-time that we go all in and I think we deserve to bring that game in our direction in the second half.”

The big news before kick-off was the omission of Taylor Harwood-Bellis from the Southampton squad amid a failed £18million bid from Aston Villa during the week.

Eckert said: “I think he’s left absolutely everything here for this club in the last season. He loves this club so much. He loves his team-mates so much,” said Eckert.

“And then at the same time you have an offer coming in. You have some thoughts about how it is to play Champions League football. I think if you find yourself in that position, it’s not easy.”

Saints led in the eighth minute when Larin scored his third goal in as many games as he coolly finished off a perfectly-weighted pass from Flynn Downes.

Galbraith then levelled in the 26th minute when Sam Gallagher’s cross evaded everyone and reached him at the far post.

Stoke were good value for a point but were undone by a dramatic goal from Mubama, who spent last season on loan at Stoke, before Manning scored from the spot when Edozie was brought down.

Robins said it is essential that Stoke bring in new recruits ahead of the transfer deadline and conceded that some of his players are not yet at full fitness.

He said: “We’re desperately crying out for it (new players). But I know that the owner has been absolutely fantastic and he will do as much as he possibly can do. We’ve got to try and shift players that don’t want to be here or players that aren’t going to cut it for us.”

Robins insisted that Saints’ penalty should not have been given with Edozie straying offside and felt his team deserved something from the game.

“We could have come away with the three points today. It’s just unfortunate that we didn’t manage to stay on the front foot, even when the changes were made.”