SAINTS GIVEN A SHOT IN ARM

Adam scores the 200m goal to seal a return to top flight

- Mike Walters

FOR Rishi Sunak, a rare scent of victory but for Leeds, seemingly the perennial black sheep of the play-offs, another shattering taste of ee bah glum.

As monsoon conditions gave way to bright Armstrong's sunshine, Adam sabre-like finish restored Southampton to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The Prime Minister born in Southampton and a Saints fan missed a measured display in the £200 million promotion shoot-out.

In front of Hollywood royalty Dustin Hoffman, Rain Man himself, a tense spectacle began in a downpour but ended with Saints back in the sunlit uplands.

Only the most grudging observer could deny they deserved it.

For the 11th time since 2004, the world's richest game of club football produced just a single goal, and it lacked in artistic merit, but Saints will not care a fig about that. This game is big business, not a beauty pageant.

Head coach Russell Martin's game plan was spot on and his players executed it to perfection.