Russell Martin makes Sunderland point and delivers clear verdict on Southampton's win

Russell Martin praised Sunderland for fighting their way back into the game on Saturday but said his side should have been 'out of sight' by half time.

Martin's Southampton side squandered a two-nil lead in the second half but eventually went on to earn a comfortable win after substitute Joe Rothwell scored a brace. Martin said he felt his side absolutely deserved the three points that kept their automatic promotion hopes firmly alive.

"It's a weird one because we should have been out of sight at half-time is my feeling," he said.

"We let them have one shot inside the box that hit the post. The rest I think pretty much in the whole game came from outside the box. It was frustrating because I spoke to the players before the game about them having the most goals from outside the box in the league, they have a lot of players who are very talented from distance. The second goal is brilliant, the first is so scrappy it's not good enough from us. But we paid the price for the lack of a clinical touch and conviction in the first half because we had so many chances.

"They came with such an aggressive press and when we got it right it was brilliant," he added.

"The rhythm of the game changed so quickly it was almost like a counter attack. But we need to make them pay. We score a set-piece and then a penalty but it shouldn't have taken that. We were behind the press and beating it and were 4 vs 3 and 3 vs 3 on so many occasions, we needed to make more of that.

"Credit to Sunderland, they were great, they kept at it and when I started to feel they were getting a bit tired, they score. And then they manage to maintain their energy, they were really aggressive with their press. We just didn't cut it open, the distances became too big, there was a bit of tension around the stadium, which I understand. Then it meant the subs had to come on and have a big impact, which they did. All of a sudden we were breaking behind again, the third and fourth goals were brilliant.

"I'm really delighted we win, I'm furious and frustrated we conceded two goals but we came through it and it's a big win."

Martin said he felt Sunderland have a hugely exciting team but admitted that Jack Clarke was a big miss, as he would be for any side in the second tier.

"I feel they have such a talented squad, a very young squad," Martin said.

"Jack Clarke makes them a very different proposition. I think he's one of the best players in the league so when he's not in the team they're a different proposition. That's not being disrespectful because I think they're a really good team and not a one-man team. His numbers are huge and what he does for the team, gets them up the pitch and has that fear factor. I really like them as a team, really really like them. They've paid the price a bit with a lack of momentum with the managerial changes but that's their prerogative."