Saturday 20 October 2012 20:10, UK
Nigel Adkins says Southampton's latest defeat was hard to take after they had frustrated West Ham before half-time.
The Saints have now shipped 24 goals in eight games since returning to the Premier League, and Adkins feels the defeat to West Ham was scant reward for their efforts in trying to shore up their defences. "The lads worked really hard in training this week, and the first half performance was good," he added. "We won the headers and the knock-downs, kept good possession and looked threatening. It's frustrating, one minute you feel you have an opportunity, the next you are two goals down." Mark Noble's penalty, awarded after Jose Fonte's handball, was the killer blow for the former Scunthorpe boss. "We were on the front foot, looking threatening again. The ball came into the area, there were a lot of people jumping, arms all over the place, it hit one and the referee gave the penalty. That, ultimately, took the sting out of us. "They (the players) have to pick themselves up, we have to pick them up and the football club has to pick itself up. We have to get ready to go again."
