GARY ROBERTS reckons the surface at Southampton tonight will suit him and fellow Town wideman Anthony Pilkington just fine.
Lee Clark’s side head into the St Mary’s Stadium showdown (7.45) aiming to chalk up a fourth straight away win and stretch their unbeaten League I run to 12 games.
While it’s Town’s first visit to the venue, and their first trip to the South coast city since a League Cup tie in 1994, Roberts has played there with Ipswich.
“It’s a great stadium and a good pitch and hopefully that will suit our style of football,” said the 25-year-old, who made the scoresheet alongside Pilkington in Saturday’s 2-2 home derby draw with Leeds.
“While we were disappointed not to beat Leeds on our own patch, there were still plenty of positives to take into tonight’s game.
“We’ve been performing well on the road of late and proving to be very stubborn, and we’ll aim to go about tonight’s game the same way.
“We were having a tough time away from home earlier in the season, and that was frustrating for everyone, but things have been different in recent games.
“Southampton will be tough opponents, and it will be just as difficult a game as Leeds, but we can go there with confidence.
“It’s a big week for us, because after Southampton, we have Gillingham away on Saturday, and we know what’s needed if we are to climb the table.”
Town will give fitness tests to right-back Lee Peltier (ankle) and midfielder Antony Kay (calf).
Southampton are 11th, five places and 17 points behind Lee Clark’s men, and manager Alan Pardew says nothing less than victory will do if they are to keep alive their play-off hopes.
