Saints rounded off their season and life in the Coca-Cola Championship with a 3-1 away defeat that was symptomatic of their campaign as a whole…

Nottingham Forest: Paul Smith, Chris Gunter, Luke Chambers, Ian Breckin (C), Joel Lynch, Chris Cohen, Lewis McGugan, Guy Moussi (Paul Anderson, 63min), Garath McCleary (Arron Davies, 74min,) Dexter Blackstock (Joe Garner, 46min), Robert Earnshaw. Subs: (not used) James Perch, Matt Thornhill,

Scorers: Garner 73min, Chambers 87min, Earnshaw 90+2min

Southampton: Kelvin Davis(C), Chris Perry, Jan-Paul Saeijs (Oliver Lancashire 77min), Bradley Wright-Phillips (Romain Gasmi, 71min), Andrew Surman, Jason Euell, David McGoldrick, Morgan Schneiderlin (Oscar Gobern 80min), Adam Lallana, Simon Gillett, Lloyd James. Subs: (not used) Tommy Forecast, Callum McNish

Bookings: James 60min

Scorer: Wright-Phiilps 16min

Referee: K Stroud

Attendance: 29,008 Away attn: 2,018

With both 'the good' and 'the bad' of their season both in plain view, there were calls for a whole lot more of 'the ugly' if Saints are to learn the key lessons from a season of change and ultimately one of huge disappointment.

Mark Wotte spoke after the match of a need to be more 'ruthless' in front of goal, but having spent the majority of the season in the bottom three there have clearly been problems at both ends of the field.

Saints now finish 2008-09 with the single worst goal difference in the league, minus 23, but that statistic doesn't really tell the full story of a frustrating campaign where they were rarely 'hammered' and picked up impressive wins against many of the top six teams.

The notion that anyone can beat anyone in the Championship has never seemed truer after a topsy-turvy season that has seen three former top-flight sides relegated, whilst newcomers have found varying degrees of success.

With Saints' relegation and Forest's survival already decided before this game, you could perhaps have excused the teams from playing out this dead rubber with little passion or interest.

Mark Wotte's men had other ideas, however, and seemed determined to give the 2,018 travelling fans something to cheer about as they made their way home.

Within a minute of kick-off, Jason Euell's header rebounded off Paul Smith's right-hand post and McGoldrick put the rebound wide as the visitors hit the ground running.

In fact, it was all Saints in the opening spell, and they took a deserved lead on 15 minutes when Lallana played in WRIGHT-PHILLIPS in the middle with a sublime through-ball.

The former Manchester City striker stroked the ball under the 'keeper and rolled it into the net slowly, but firmly enough to evade the backtracking defender.

Forest's main threat came in the form of Welsh international, Robert Earnshaw who shot wide twice and was later denied by a Davis save in the 22nd minute as the hosts gradually upped their game.

Former Saint Dexter Blackstock then fired over the bar from a Chambers long ball, before he was switched for Joe Garner at half-time.

Half Time: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Southampton

With their one goal advantage Saints were looking comfortable on the ball and the fans were in fine voice - determined to enjoy the day whatever the end result.

That outlook was justified when Saints let their hosts back into the game in the 73rd minute when GARNER levelled with a stunning 30-yard lob that beat Davis from Anderson's delivery.

Injury to JP Saeijs meant he made way for Olly Lancashire for the final 15 minutes, and with Gasmi also given a chance to shine it was a new-look side that contested the final period.

Wotte also introduced Academy scholar Oscar Gobern for Morgan Schneiderlin, but the end result would flatter Forest even more.

With just four minutes of normal time remaining, Billy Davies' men took the lead when Luke CHAMBERS headed home Cohens corners at the far post for 2-1.

Paul Smith's smart 89th minute save denied McGoldrick the chance of adding one final goal to his season's tally before Forest netted a third.

With two minutes of stoppage time added on, Saints were on the back foot and were punished when substitute Arron Davies' shot was blocked well by the Saints 'keeeer but fell straight to EARNSHAW who tucked it into the bottom right corner.

Defeated but not deflated, the whole Saints team swiftly made their way over to the massed ranks of travelling fans and thanked them for their fantastic support which continued right until the bitter end.

The players then removed their shirts and threw them all into the crowd as a final gesture of gratitude for the most trying of seasons that we all hope will not be our last.

Full Time: Nottingham Forest 3-1 Southampton