Pardew hits out at Saints quality (From This is Hampshire)

Pardew hits out at Saints quality

8:00am Monday 8th February 2010

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Alan Pardew said he could fault the quality but not the endeavour of his players as they battled out a 1-1 draw at Exeter.

It was tough going for both sides on a dreadful St James’s Park pitch that made any kind of passing game virtually impossible.

Saints were desperate for victory to hang on to the coattails of the top six.

And they looked like getting it when Adam Lallana gave them the lead in the first half.

But when Matt Taylor headed home from a corner in the second period, it was honours even.

The draw leaves Saints 15 points off the top six with 18 games remaining.

Pardew said: “The pitch conditions were really tough “We would like to have shown a bit more quality on it but I couldn’t fault the players’ endeavour and commitment.

“I just feel that we didn’t do the basics well.

“The balls we were trying to turn and put into their half were going out of play and our set plays were a bit disappointing.

“On a pitch like this you can’t afford that to happen, those little tiny things make a big difference.

“They put pressure on us second half and we had to keep changing things to try and create something.

“They were strong physically too.

“I’m disappointed that we got another draw but this is a tough place to come and with conditions like that and the commitment that they showed it was a tough afternoon.

“Normally this would be a decent result, but we need the wins.”

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