Alan Pardew eyes play-offs after Saints' JP Trophy win
By Stephan Shemilt at Wembley
Pardew has tasted promotion success with West Ham in the past
Southampton manager Alan Pardew wants his side to push on and make the play-offs after their 4-1 Johnstone's Paint Trophy final win over Carlisle.
Saints, who began the season with a 10-point deduction, lie 12 points behind sixth-placed Colchester in League One with only nine games left.
"We're working really hard in the league to try and get in the play-offs," said Pardew.
"We know it's a slim chance but we genuinely think we have got a chance."
Pardew added: "If we can win at Brighton on Thursday and then win our two home games then we might sneak in."
Saints claimed the trophy through a Rickie Lambert penalty, an Adam Lallana header and second-half strikes from Papa Waigo and Michail Antonio at Wembley.
"We scored goals at good times and that hurt Carlisle," added Pardew, whose side's victory secured the club's first domestic silverware since 1976.
"We thought Lambert was always likely to give them problems today, which he did.
"We had a game plan and sometimes when you put a plan together it doesn't always work out, but the players' discipline was a highlight for me."
Pardew's side were cheered to victory by 44,000 fans who made the trip from the south coast and the former Reading and West Ham boss was keen to pay tribute to the club's supporters.
"The support was brilliant. It wasn't a game that you could get too excited about because we were so comfortable, but you could see the relief of winning coming out towards the end.
"They've been brilliant all year for us because some of the performances we have put in, especially away from home, have been awful. They have been strong and I would like to thank them for that.
"It wasn't about aesthetics today, but more about the result and the team responded to the support and delivered the right one for us."
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Highlights - JP Trophy final
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