- Saints build 3-0 lead
- Townsend pulls one back
- Newcastle in 19th
Shane Long, Graziano Pelle and Victor Wanyama scored as Southampton coasted past relegation favorites Newcastle United at St. Mary’s on Saturday.
Andros Townsend scored for the Magpies in the 3-1 loss, and Newcastle remains six points shy of safety.
Saints are in 7th with 50 points.
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Karl Darlow was called on early to stop a Graziano Pelle header, but it wasn’t too long before Saints went ahead through Long.
The Irish striker turned Steven Taylor inside out before beating Karl Darlow.
Then Pelle scored after another comical bit of Newcastle defending, with Daryl Janmaat falling over and Dusan Tadic and Long linking up to provide Pelle his chance.
[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]7 - Graziano Pelle has been directly involved in each of Southampton’s last seven Premier League goals (4 goals, 3 assists). Omnipresent.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 9, 2016
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Wanyama made it 3-0 in the 55th minute, Jonny-on-the-spot to a rebound off a Darlow save.
Townsend pulled one back for the Magpies with a marvelous dribble in from the right flank, cutting in to lash a left footed shot home from outside the 18.
Aleksandar Mitrovic had a goal called back for offside late, and that was it for Newcastle.