When Branislav Ivanovic headed home an 89th minute winner for Chelsea at St mary's on Saturday the Saints side deserved more for their efforts in this game and indeed over the past six games than a mass exodus.

Saints have been brilliant over the past six games and so have the fans who have followed them both home and away, they have backed the team and roared them on even when it has been backs to the wall stuff.

Together both team and fans have been as one and as was the case against West Ham in the previous home game after Victor Wanyama's sending off, it was the Saints fans who raised their voices and spurred their team on to a vital victory.

But yesterday saw some supporters lose their faith just when it was needed.

You don't know what Chelsea side you will meet these days, but yesterday was harking back to last season and it was only Saints hard work that mean't they went into the last 15 minutes with a 1-0 lead, this hadn't been achieved easily, it had been achieved with hard work and graft and a team spirit and desire that was a credit to Ronald Koeman.

The equaliser was a shock, it seemed to silence some of the crowd who could not seem to remember what it was like to see their team concede a goal. But it did not deter the Saints players, they dug in and found reserves of spirit and energy that were more than the supporters had a right to ask for.

Chelsea had Saints backs against the wall in those final minutes but the players dug in and although the Blues enjoyed much possession they could not seem to get near a winner.

That is perhaps why when Ivanovic popped up with his header it came as such a surprise, it did not just silence the home crowd but prompted a reaction that was a little sad to see.

From some there was no appreciation for just how hard Saints had worked, there was no appreciation for the fact that Fraser Forster has passed a milestone and set a goalstopping record, there was just nothing.

The team had perhaps the right to hope that their supporters were right behind them at that moment it needed the Saints fans to find their voices and inspire the team towards the hope of a late equaliser, but the players themselves must have been disheartened to see thousands heading for the exits, to be blunt that must have completely demotivated them.

From that point there would be no spirited frantic spell of injury time with Saints pushing for an equaliser to earn a deserved point, the game would just peter out with a fast diminishing crowd.

Of course this was not the first time this has happened in a football club, every club in the land has seen its supporters head for the exits just at the moment that the team really needs them, it isn't the first and it won't be the last.

But this one is so disappointing because the team did not deserve it, they had sweated blodd in this match and in games before, it would have been nice if the supporters had stayed around to applaud them and show they appreciate their efforts.

So no we have to re group and go again at Bournemouth, I'm sure the 1,200 Saints fans who have tickets will respond, this season our away support has been fantastic, we have sold out our allocations for most games and the travelling fans have been loud and proud.

This is one game that they will be really needed, they need to be the 12th man and show the team that they are appreciated and more to the point help pick them up after the big disappointment yesterday.

We March On ! we always have and always will, sometimes though we all need to take a step back and ask ourselves whether we gave as much effort as those on the pitch.

As I said our support has been tremendous this season we have turned out in big numbers both at home and away, I honestly think St Mary's has a better atmosphere than most Premier League grounds and long may that continue.

Photo: Action Images

simmo400 added 19:59 - Feb 28 Nick the team had diminished in the last 30 mins of time. Everyone could see the goal coming. Playing so deep is dangerous against weak teams let alone class players of Chelsea. 89 min goal was a result of not pressing up the pitch. We made William look like Messi with the time and space we gave him. Although we restricted them to just a handful of chances with class players that's generally all they need.

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Zambucco added 20:56 - Feb 28 Sadly I was one of those fans, not because we had let victory slip through our hands, but even more embarrassingly I had a date with a skate and wanted to miss the traffic! In normal circumstances I'm there until the bitter end
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RogerToye added 23:42 - Feb 28 Think a lot of people were walking out because they felt the referee ruined the game undermining the linesman all the time. Mind you Grazing Pelle hopefully will learn its better to hold onto the ball then flick it he was a slug when he came on. Jay Rod coming back with Charlie A that could be a great partnership to look forward too rotating with Shane Long that is exciting. More goals from midfield though we have lost our pressing game with 3 central defenders and 5 at the back when pressed . We attacked 5/6 men of chelsea at the back with not more than 4 attacking players in the second half Chelsea were running the show in there final third with 5 players against 8 defenders. and you know what happened COYR....

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SaintNick added 07:53 - Feb 29 It doesnt matter whether the team was diminishing in the last 30 minutes or the referee was abysmal, it is easy to make a noise when a team is winning 3-0 but thtat isnt the time a team needs its fans, it needs them when it is in adversity. Against West Ham the fans responded brilliantly when Wanyama was sent off, yesterday we walked away and took it
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SanMarco added 12:44 - Feb 29 I'm sure that these rants against early leavers didn't happen before all-seater stadiums. A 5000 stand with 500 leaving early looked just the same after as before but now we have those empty seats and 'walk of shame' gangways + people obstructing the view of those who have decided to get the full value of their entrance money. As Zambucco points out there are always reasons why some have to leave and in the end people are free to do what they like. When I leave early it is always when the match is already decided AND I will gain a distinct advantage from those few minutes gained. If it is 4-0 with 5 mins left and I can get an earlier train or something then why not? I would never leave in Saturday's circumstances because the result WAS still in doubt, it was more a reaction to a team going 2 up with a minute left than just 1 - it probably reflected the fact that the writing was on the wall and people felt we were going to lose but if you had the option why not stay? Having said that I would cast doubt on the idea that people leaving makes a difference to what happens on the pitch - it is more an issue that allows 'loyal supporters' to have a go at their less committed brethren AND only ever happens after a defeat. If we had held on to 1-1 then there would be no debate about early departures, it might be mentioned in passing but wouldn't generate a rant. Unlike those devils who don't buy tickets and cause empty seats at kick-off this particular rant is result specific...

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SaintBrock added 13:02 - Feb 29 It wasn't obvious from where we were sitting, just a few of the usual suspects but maybe they just want to beat the crowds and get on their way home. People travel from a long way off these days. From my own perspective it defies logic to pay up to £40 for ticket and not stay until the end but each to his own. I am definitely old school on match days, get there an hour before and watch our lads in training (you can usually tell their demeanour - whether they are up for it or sloppy) and leave when the last player has exited through the tunnel. Win, Draw or Lose they are doing their best for us and deserve recognition at the end. People who ignore them when we lose are the worst kind of people, in fact the sort of people that call Pelle **** on the video channel when he has an off game simply because he has not had enough game time for several matches. Everyone has poor games. We are either in this together or we are not and leaving before the players have left the field to me suggest that more than a few are just groupie band-wagon followers when we are successful.

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stcornwall17 added 14:43 - Feb 29 I don't normally comment on these things but this article I saw . I live in Cornwall on the far west of the south coast guest who are the most supported teams usual suspects Manchester London Liverpool. I come from Southampton woolston although I don't live there I am proud of Southampton that I come from there who we are as a cityh and where we have got to as a team. Close to bankruptcy, the coming of marcus the sliverence of Rupert nad his departing back . The experiment of sir Edward. ( look where he is now ) the researgence of both liver and spudhampton. The shouting of can't remember his first name but surname gold and him wanting to promote the west ham way Am I wrong was that not the Southampton way . Remember the south coast club of the sun . the deduction of 10 points meaning minus ten and I remember last season and champions league. I read this piece from above and found as I found out last year we do not have one voice. End of the season champion league fight everybody ecited bring on Southampton fc a social experiment. I as a Southampton supporter was trying to conduct a social experiment see if it would create the energy o get us there over the line . Create luck flue whatever you want to call it so that that place would be filled by southampton fc all I needed to 32000 peoplethe same amount as fills st marys there no scam just us all coming together. I tried it never succeeded not only did we not get to the champions league but we got knocked out of Europa to. I never closed the page 89th minute Saturday Chelsea 1 up sentiment that's it we will leave the reporting is right so praise the man who wroter the above article. demoralized it won't change until we change and believe so if you see the page I created looking for 32000 saints I got about 8 One like I did get was from a player called tinidi Ramirez and guess who he says he plays for I will tell you Chelsea also got likes from bhuddists. So must be saying right I wonder if anybody will now look on facebook look for Southampton aexperiment and put a like follow what it says and see if we can do it this season instead whatever we put our goal but it has to be at least Europe but to go far. so go to Southampton a social experiment and put your like and I will post back on here after a week see if instead of leaving lets push this because its what this man is saying

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simmo400 added 13:07 - Mar 1 All in all you pays your money and leave when you want to leave. Cant see the problem.
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