ROD Wallace just cannot stop scoring.

Twenty-four hours after his fairytale return at Blackburn, the new striker was on target again when he helped Wanderers to a 3-1 victory over a Celtic Xl in a private friendly at the Reebok.

Wallace, playing on the right of midfield, hit a stunning third goal on 35 minutes after laying on the second of a brace for Akinori Nishizawa.

Sam Allardyce gave a number of his first team squad, including recent signings Bruno N'Gotty and the impressive Jermaine Johnson, much-needed match practice.

Steve Banks, Colin Hendry, Dean Holden and Ian Marshall all got runouts.

Nishizawa is expected to be in the Japan squad when the 2002 World Cup hosts take on Nigeria in the first ever international to be played in Southampton.

The match at the Friends Provident St Mary's Stadium on Sunday, October 7 could feature several England-based players including Arsenal's Junichi Inamoto.

Saints chairman Rupert Lowe said: "This just shows how far Southampton Football Club has come and with our new 32,000-seater stadium we now have the capacity to stage many more events of this prestige."