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Nigel Adkins admits penalty decision fortunate

Adkins admits penalty decision fortunate
© PA Photos
Saints manager Nigel Adkins admits that side got the benefit of the doubt with a contentious decision this afternoon against Aston Villa, after a penalty shout went their way to create the winning goal.

Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has admitted that his side got lucky with a penalty decision which led to the winning goal against Aston Villa this afternoon.

Skipper Rickie Lambert netted from the spot after a penalty was awarded by referee Mark Halsey when Jay Rodriguez went down after a challenge from Enda Stevens.

Replays showed that Stevens did not make contact with Rodriquez and Adkins has insisted that he does not advocate diving from any of his players.

He told BBC Sport: "We could have had seven or eight penalties this season, and they say it levels out.

"For me there is no contact with the player but the referee has a decision to make. All we can do at our place is make sure the players are not diving.

"We expect the players to behave properly, it is not a dive from Jay Rodriguez, there was no contact, but if the player had not moved his leg away, there would have been contact."

An important 1-0 win at Villa Park has moved Saints up to 15th place in table, two points clear of the relegation zone.

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Liam Power
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Saints forward Rickie Lambert celebrates the win over Aston Villa with goalkeeper Artur Boruc on January 12, 2013
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Arsenal19116238172139
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
4Chelsea19105438231535
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle1995532211132
6Manchester CityMan City199463226631
7Bournemouth198652923630
8Fulham197842825329
9Aston Villa198562831-329
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton196942928127
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1973941281324
12Brentford197393335-224
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham196582335-1223
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd196492126-522
15Crystal Palace194872027-720
16Everton183871524-917
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Ipswich TownIpswich1936101833-1515
19Leicester CityLeicester1935112242-2014
20Southampton1913151239-276


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