There's Something About St. Mary's

Southampton 2-2 Norwich City

There was a time when this would have been a Premier League fixture. Then there was a time when this would have been a Championship fixture. It is now a third tier fixture.

Norwich and The Saints were both relegated from the top flight in 2005 and then dropped out of the next division at the same time back in May. They were able to come together and, just for 90 minutes, pretend they were still playing at a higher level.

It was a fabulous game. Norwich went 1-0 and 2-1 down, in recent years the canaries going behind away from home usually led to the sort of sporting collapse the England cricket team of the 1990's used to pride themselves on.

Wes Hoolahan and Stephen Hughes each equalised with Hughes proving that Paul Lambert can do very little wrong as City manager right now by poking in the goal that made it 2-2 with virtually his first touch after coming on.

Not that the demure Scot got the credit he deserved. The tannoy man at St. Mary's put on his best serious voice, the sort of grave, bearer of bad news tone that all PA men have to adopt when the away team dares score a goal.

"Norwich's second goal - scored by Gary Doherty."

A nasty moment for a football commentator. I was sure it was Hughes. Had I really just committed the sin of picking the wrong scorer? Was this my payback for organising all those mailshots telling me I had gone three years without an eye test?

Thankfully the confused faces of my press box brethren gave me the conviction to stick with my original shout. 30 seconds later PA man was back, still capturing the sort of tone reserved only for away teams scoring and royal deaths.

"Correction - Norwich's second goal was actually scored by Stephen Hughes."

A great game. Even the half-time entertainment was of a much higher quality than we have become used to sitting through. No cheerleaders, men in furry animal costumes or daft contrived games involving a 'lucky' fan attempting to kick a ball through a hole in a piece of wood.

Instead Mick Channon, who played with great distinction for both clubs, was awarded an honorary degree on the pitch complete with gown and mortar board.

You see - us football types can appreciate the higher-brow side elements of life in that desperate gap of 15 minutes between halves.