Taylor is denied a perfect finale

SO CLOSE . . . Chris Taylor’s last-gasp header was somehow kept out by Saints ’keeper Kelvin Davis.

AGE dulls the reactions, or so we are told. But while few pensioners end up driving F1 cars, it is a paradox that football wisdom dictates goalkeepers get better as the years roll on.

No other position in the game requires such mental and physical sharpness, often at a split-second's notice.

Southampton shot-stopper Kelvin Davis is 34 years old now. But judging by his efforts against Athletic at the St Mary's Stadium at the weekend, the former Luton and Wimbledon man is far from sluggish.

Chris Taylor would have put decent money on his header getting past Davis before the goalkeeper — a member of last season's PFA team of the year for League One — had even seen it, a good five minutes into injury time.

Instead, a left hand sprung out of nowhere to knock the ball behind, depriving Athletic of a point and indicating football's sages to be correct.

"I was disappointed it didn't go in, but I don't think I could have done anything else," said Taylor, whose sprawling, diving effort came off a long ball into the penalty area by Kieran Lee.

"I saw Kieran with the ball and knew there wasn't long left on the clock and just went for it.

"You know when it has got a good chance and when it hasn't. And I knew there was the chance.

"I got a good connection to it and their 'keeper made a great save. It was very disappointing to miss out on a draw."

Athletic slumped to a third defeat of the season on Saturday, each of which has come away from Boundary Park.

That record takes in two of the current top three in npower League One — leaders Brighton and Peterborough — as well as Saints, who are prime candidates for at least a top-six place come the end of the season.

One of the constant themes Athletic manager Paul Dickov emphasises is that his side need be scared of facing nobody.

And this belief goes some way to explaining his squad's lingering disappointment at defeat in a game few fans expected, at the start of the season at least, to get much out of.

It was all going so well, though, prior to a goal just before half-time.

"We tried everything in the final 10 minutes to get a point, but it wasn't to be," added four-goal winger Taylor.

"We came in at half-time disappointed it was 1-1. We should have seen it through and should have gone in at 1-0 up — the second half is a totally different game then."