Steve Cook just loves hitting the back of the net

It has been quite a while since Steve Cook scored against Norwich City earlier in the season. The goal he netted last night though against Southampton could not have been better timed. The pleasing thing was that when the ball came to Cook after Forster had made the initial save he just had one thought in his head and that was to make contact with the ball.

The shot itself was not perhaps that cleanly hit, but importantly it was hit down into the ground and that took it well away from the keeper and right into the corner. The most gratifying sight though was to see Benik Afobe be the first one over to celebrate with Cook having missed out on perhaps having a tap in himself. The knee slide from Cook as well was well mastered.

Steve Cook chips in with his second goal of the season.

It was quite a night for Steve Cook who had to win a lot of the aerial balls that were put into the box. Apart from one early moment when Charlie Austin escaped his attention, he and the back four did a pretty excellent job in getting a second consecutive clean sheet. That was almost stolen away when Saido Mane got through in the last few minutes of the second half, but Artur Boruc waned that clean sheet.

Robbie Savage on BT Sport named Steve Cook the man of the match and it was hard to disagree. To defend against Shane Long, Charlie Austin and then the power of Pelle was really a big step up from the last home performance and Steve Cook was central to most of the good work at the back. The task now is to go and get more clean sheets.

PremierTalk: What a night of football yesterday! Catch up on what it all means. They would all rather have a scrap for fourth place  

All Departments has released its podcast to review the South Coast derby win over Southampton.