Southampton 2-1 Blackpool: Two goals from left-back Romain Perraud ensure Saints reach the FA Cup fifth round… as Mick McCarthy loses his first game as Seasiders boss on his return to the dugout after 15 months

No James Ward-Prowse, no major problems for Southampton. Occasions when Southampton can afford to leave out their influential captain are few and far between.

After his mammoth efforts in the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg against Newcastle and with Tuesday’s return in mind, Nathan Jones decided this might be one such safe opportunity to give the midfielder a rest. He was ultimately proved correct.

Not only did Southampton overcome Championship strugglers Blackpool in Mick McCarthy’s first game to progress but, fittingly, they did so with the help of a goal scored via Ward-Prowse’s trademark route.

When Craig Pawson penalised CJ Hamilton for bringing down Samuel Edozie just outside the area, Jones might have wished he had free-kick extraordinaire Ward-Prowse to call on.

Never mind. Up stepped Romain Perraud to blast an effort through the wall and past the deceived Chris Maxwell in Blackpool’s goal.

And the Frenchman confirmed his status as unlikely hero of this tie with an equally emphatic second goal after the break.

Southampton were made to work harder than they would have liked before claiming the place in round five.

Blackpool rallied late on, eventually denying McCarthy the chance to begin his reign with an FA Cup shock and Blackpool a second top-flight scalp after they dumped out Nottingham Forest in the third round.

Jones said: ‘People might look at all the negatives but we’re in the hat.

‘That’s the main thing. I’d rather be sitting here with certain frustrations and in the hat than happy with the performance and out. If we lost the furore would be carnage.’

The cup competitions continue to be good to Jones, who has won four of his five ties but enjoyed less success in the league, where only one win has been secured from six attempts.

He said: ‘I don’t think there is less pressure [in the cups], there is different pressure. We’ve had a 50 per cent win ratio at the minute here, but I would prefer all those wins to have been in the Premier League, we’d be in a far better position but we’d be out of the cups.’

Perraud’s opening goal in the 22nd minute made him the first player other than Ward-Prowse to score from a direct free-kick for Southampton since Cedric Soares in December 2018.

Perraud said: ‘I had the chance to be clinical. The FA Cup is a tough competition but this is another step and it feels good.’

Blackpool boss McCarthy said: ‘It’s an appalling goal to concede. In the wall, they jumped and turned. It shouldn’t happen.’

But it briefly livened up the game with Blackpool threatening twice. They did so again after the break when Ian Poveda-Ocampo spurned two chances in quick succession and Blackpool paid the ultimate price for those misses when Perraud played a one-two with Sekou Mara before blasting past Chris Maxwell.

Southampton continued to push for a third goal but, when the hosts cantering to victory looked the most likely outcome, they were suddenly pegged back by Blackpool, Arsenal loanee Charlie Patino rounding off a neat move.

That set up a finish that was nervier from a Southampton perspective than it looked like it would be at one stage.

Sensing the tension inside St Mary’s, especially when six minutes of added time were announced, Blackpool pushed Southampton back and sent their big boys and even goalkeeper Maxwell up for a number of late corners.

‘It is a learning curve for some [of Southampton’s younger players] who won’t have played games like that where they have to see it out,’ said Jones, after his side managed to do so.

Blackpool now turn their attentions back to their bid to stay up and McCarthy said: ‘If we get that [level of performance] we have a chance of staying in the league.’