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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
1Liverpool25186160243660
2Arsenal25158251222953
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest25145641291247
4Manchester CityMan City25135752351744
5Bournemouth25127644291543
6Chelsea25127647341343
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2512584233941
8Fulham2510963833539
9Aston Villa2510873538-338
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2591063838037
11Brentford25104114342134
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs25931349371230
13Crystal Palace257992932-330
14Everton257992731-430
15Manchester UnitedMan Utd2585122835-729
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2576122947-1827
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2554163554-1919
18Ipswich TownIpswich2538142350-2717
19Leicester CityLeicester2545162555-3017
20Southampton2523201957-389


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