Town face play-offs again after Saints triumph

The Terriers, who are unbeaten in 24 games and the only unbeaten team in the Football League in 2011, had been hoping to keep alive the race for second place until the final day of the season on Saturday.

However, the Saints’ victory at Home Park means they cannot realistically be caught due to being three points in front of Town and boasting a vastly superior goal difference of 17.

With Huddersfield needing to overcome a 17-goal deficit when taking on Brentford on Saturday as Southampton host Hartlepool United, it means Lee Clark’s men will compete in the play-offs for a second season in a row.

At the moment, Town seem destined to meet Bournemouth in the semi-finals with the south coast club sitting sixth in the table.

The Cherries are four points clear of seventh-placed Leyton Orient and three behind nearest rivals Milton Keynes Dons, though the Dean Court club do have a much better goal difference.

If Huddersfield are paired with Bournemouth, the first leg is likely to take place at Dean Court on Saturday, May 14 at 12.45pm with the return at the Galpharm Stadium the following Wednesday evening.

Rickie Lambert scored just before the interval for Southampton and, after former Plymouth defender Ryan Dickinson had scored soon after the interval, struck his 21st goal of the season from the penalty spot in the 59th minute to make it 3-0 after having been brought down.

Yannick Bolaise scored in stoppage time for Plymouth, who, having been deducted 10 points for entering administration, are relegated to League Two.

Saints manager Nigel Adkins expressed delight with his players afterwards, but refused to get too carried away, despite seeing his team essentially guarantee automatic promotion back to the English game’s second tier after two years in League One.

“We’re in a great position now,” he admitted. “We said when we came in and we were 22nd in the division and I don’t know how many many off top spot, that there was a a massive expectation at this football club, but I’ve loved every second of it.

“It was a big victory for the boys today, that’s 89 points and a good goal difference.

“The players have been top drawer, the supporters have rightly got a smile on their faces.

“It’s been a close-fought thing with Huddersfield and ourselves.

“They’ve been magnificent but we came away from home and got a magnificent victory.”