Albion travel sick as Saints survive scare

THE VERDICT: SOUTHAMPTON 3 ALBION 2

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SAINTS held off a West Brom fightback to win 3-2 at St Mary's as Tonda Eckert continued his impressive start on the south coast with a sixth victory in seven games.

Championship top scorer Adam Armstrong scored twice before halftime to take his tally to 11 after Leo Scienza set the hosts on their way with an early goal.

The Baggies put up a second-half fight through goals from Karlan Grant and Nathaniel Phillips and went close to a late leveller but have now lost their last seven away games.

With such a dismal record on the road, Southampton was not the trip Ryan Mason would have wanted to be making on a windswept Tuesday in December.

Eckert had won all of his three home games in charge of the Saints and they tore into Mason's side.