SAM Allardyce had no hesitation in pinpointing the loss of Per Frandsen as the decisive factor as Wanderers suffered their first Premiership defeat.

"Per was our top man," the Reebok boss said. "It was a bitter blow because he was on top of his game, controlling the game for us and contributing so much in the first half in terms of our momentum going forward. We weren't quite as forceful when we lost him.

"I don't think Nicky Southall did a bad job when he came on but to lose Per and have to put someone else on disrupted the flow a little bit."

The influential Dane - the most creative force in the game - limped off five minutes into the second half with an injury to his left ankle sustained in a challenge with Dean Richards. The concerned Southampton centre-back searched for Frandsen after the game but he had already been taken to hospital for X-rays.

Allardyce did not even try to disguise his disappointment after the setback and, on reflection, would have been happy with a point, which was the least Wanderers' deserved for their efforts.

"We were unlucky because the first half performance was exceptionally good," the manager pointed out. "But when we needed a bit of luck, we didn't have it - hitting the woodwork twice - then little Marian Pahars puts the ball in the back of the net when we least expect it.

"The players were stunned in the dressing room because they just couldn't believe it. But, whether Southampton deserved it or didn't deserve it, they've got it and it can be a turning point for them.

"Now it's a case of how we recover, how we react. If we had to lose a game, which was inevitable, I would have preferred it to be away from home and certainly not against a side in the bottom half of the table.

"We know that ourselves and Southampton will be very close to each other in the bottom half of the table and it's crucial we get points off them.

"We haven't done on this occasion and it could cost us dear but we've given ourselves a big cushion by taking the points off Liverpool and off Leeds so it's not quite as cruel a blow as it might have been.

"But it was probably set up to happen. We tried to work out a game plan to make sure it didn't but you know what football's like ... it did!"

The irony was that Southampton approached the game with much the same counter-attacking style that has served Wanderers so well away from home last season and in their four previous Premiership games.

But Allardyce pointed out: "I don't think they created the chances we create. They use the system as a good form of defence but I don't think they really caused us that many problems and I felt the longer the game went on, we would get opportunities. When one came, we hit the post again.

"From then on I would have been comfortable with a draw. Nil-nil would have been a very valuable point. Anything more than that would have been great.

"Our overall performance, particularly in the first half, was very good considering the conditions, which made it difficult sometimes. Their defending was good, sometimes the final ball in could have been a little bit better and perhaps Michael (Ricketts), for once, was not firing on all cylinders but I suppose he's allowed to have a lesser game than he has in the last four."