Regular written updates from St. Mary's as Saints take on Ajax for the Ted Bates Trophy...Saints: Davis, Murty (Schneiderlin, 66), Molyneux (Thomson, 55), Wotton, Perry, Thomas (Lancashire, 46), Lallana (Paterson, 73), James, Rasiak (Saganowski, 46), Gillett (McNish, 83), Mills. Subs: (not used) Bialkowski.
Ajax: Vermeer, Emanuelson (Sarpong, 70), Sulejmani (Zeegelaar, 65), Silva, Suarez, Wielaert, Alderweireld, De Jong, Anita, Donald, Kennedy (Rommedahl, 46). Subs: (not used) Verhoeven, Van der Wiel, Lindgren, Aissati, Sno, Blind, Ogararu, Luque.
Referee: Lee Probert
Kick-off: 15:00
The start of a new era at Southampton Football Club begins in style as Saints' newly appointed manager Alan Pardew and the new owner Markus Liebherr are introduced to the crowd and given a rapturous welcome.
0: The football gets underway with the Northam Stand in fine voice once again as a stressful summer without football finally comes to an end.
2: Saints are playing towards the Northam end in the first half and look good in their new blue and yellow away kit, which they are wearing for the first time today.
6: Saints are playing well in the early stages and Rasiak heads in on goal from a Simon Gillett free-kick and forces Ajax 'keeper Kenneth Vermeer to tip the ball over his bar before play is stopped for an earlier foul.
11: The home side break down the right as Rasiak and Lallana combine, and the cross to the far post almost finds Lloyd James but is headed behind for a Saints corner.
13: Chants of "There's only one Markus Liebherr!" ring out from the Northam as trialist Graeme Murty stabs a loose ball behind to safety as Ajax put in a deep cross to the far post.
15: GOAL 1-0 Saints take a deserved lead and kick off the Liebherr era in style as Joseph MILLS fires the ball into the roof of the net at the far post after a neat team build-up that involved Wotton and Gillett too.
17: Ajax come back into the game quickly and go close with an attempt of their own and Luis Suarez head the ball just wide of the right-hand post after getting on the end of a cross from Urby Emanuelson.
23: Ajax man Miralem Sulejmani goes down in the box after going for the same ball as Wayne Thomas and the visitors are awarded a PENALTY by referee Lee Probert.
24: GOAL 1-1 Ajax captain Luis SUAREZ get his side back in the game with a well-taken spot kick that he fires into the bottom right and out of Davis' reach.
29: Suaraz is again the dangerman for the Dutch giants and tries to thread the ball through the Saints back lineonly to be denied by the boot of Chris Perry.
30: Saints win another free-kick out to the right of goal and the knockback falls to Lloyd James 20 yards out, but the Welsh Under-21 fires high over the bar and shows his frustration.
34: Kelvin Davis does well to save with his feet to deny Sulejmani but the linesman's flag is already raised for offside.
35: Siem de Jong catches Paul Wotton to earn Saints a central free-kick and Chris Perry is one of several players at the far post waiting for Gillett's delivery which he heads onto the roof of the net.
37: Davis pulls off a fantastic save as Kennedy tries his luck with powerful shot from the edge of the area following another blocked attempt from the Ajax captain Suarez.
39: Saints are once again indebted to Kelvin Davis as he tips a curling Suarez shot over the bar at full stretch and proves once again how vital he will be this season.
Half-Time: Southampton 1-1 Ajax
46: SAINTS SUBS: THOMAS & RASIAK OFF LANCASHIRE & SAGANOWSKI ON
46: AJAX SUB: KENNEDY OFF ROMMEDAHL ON
49: Substitute Dennis Rommedahl stuns the crowd as he unleashes a powerful shot and looks certain to score, but the ball somehow bounces out of the goal after striking the inside of the left-hand post and goes behind.
53: GOAL 1-2 Ajax's early second half pressure pays off as SUAREZ wrong foots Lee Molyneux and is able to squeeze off a shot that goes under Davis and in at the near post from five yards out.
55: SAINTS SUB: MOLYNEUX OFF THOMSON ON
61: Play is held up whilst Murty recovers from a challenge that leaves him grounded for several minutes, as Schneidelin warms up along the touchline.
64: Ronald Mitchell is left dismayed as his shot rises over the bar after an impressive passing build-up from the Dutch side.
65: AJAX SUB: SULEJMANI OFF ZEEGELAAR ON
66: SAINTS SUB: MURTY OFF SCHNEIDERLIN ON
68: Saints are still looking good and go close to re-taking the lead after working the ball back to Gillett just inside the box, but his goal-bound shot is blocked by Wielaert's last-ditch interception.
70: AJAX SUB: EMANUELSON OFF SARPONG ON
73: SAINTS SUB: LALLANA OFF PATERSON ON
75: Substitute Marvin Zeegelaar cuts the ball back to De Jong inside the Saints box, but he can only drag his shot wide of the left post.
78: Sarpong unleashes a stinging shot and draws another brilliant reflex save from Kelvin Davis who directs the ball up, clipping the bar as it goes out of play.
80: Former-Charlton winger Dennis Rommesahl breaks away and goes one on one with Davis, but is denied a shooting chance inside the box by an excellent Joeseph Mills tackle.
81: GOAL 1-3 - Ajax extend their lead with a close range goal after Rommedahl's corner is headed off the by Mills and then headed straight back into the back of the net by Siem DE JONG.
83: SAINTS SUB: GILLETT OFF McNISH ON
86: GOAL 1-4 - Marvin ZEEGELAAR makes it eight goals in two games for Ajax on their UK tour, as he rifles in a diagonal shot from the left of the area.
Full-Time: Southampton 1-4 Ajax
