http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/11771529._/?ref=mac Will Austin's powers sink Saints? please log in to view this image Charlie Austin celebrates his goal against Saints last September First published 27 minutes ago in Saints News please log in to view this image by Gordon Simpson, Senior Sports Reporter Saints’ proud defensive record will be tested to the max this Saturday, as they face one of their greatest nemeses – Charlie Austin. The QPR striker boasts an incredible goal ratio against the club, having scored in all-but-one of his games against them. Austin, who used to ply his trade for Poole Town in the Wessex League, has come up against Saints six times in his professional career – netting in five of those encounters. The last one was a sensational strike, as he controlled a cross behind him, swivelled and volleyed past Fraser Forster when the teams met at St Mary’s last September. Only Graziano Pelle’s wonder goal moments later prevented Austin from earning his side a rare away point – in fact, it would have been their only one on the road this term – as Saints edged it 2-1. Despite playing for the Premier League’s 19th-place side, the 25-year-old has been one of the stars of the current season in what is his first-ever campaign rubbing shoulders with England’s elite clubs. His 13 top-flight goals are only bettered by Chelsea’s Diego Costa, with 17, and Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, who has scored 14. Throughout the top five leagues in Europe – the Premier League plus La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and La Ligue – only seven men have scored more league goals than Austin. That list is topped by the incredible Cristiano Ronaldo, who has plundered a barely believable 28 goals in just 22 La Liga games for Real Madrid. Lionel Messi (22 goals) is next, while Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette (21), Barcelona’s Neymar (15) and Marseille’s André-Pierre Gignac (14) have also scored more, along with Costa and Aguero. Nine of Austin’s efforts have come at Loftus Road, where QPR have been far better than their league position suggests. The club rank 11th in the Premier League at home this season – having won five, drawn four and lost three – but are in the relegation zone as a result of losing all 11 of their away matches. They will be looking to Austin to help them improve on their Loftus Road record this weekend. In his first career match against Saints, the forward scored a 56th-minute winner for Swindon as they produced a 1-0 victory in a League One encounter at St Mary’s in March 2010. Austin also scored when the teams met in August of the same year, netting the Robins’ second in a 3-0 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy success – again at St Mary’s. He followed that up a few weeks later with the only goal of the match, as Swindon won a League One clash at the County Ground. Austin continued his fine record against Saints following a move to Burnley, scoring in a 1-1 Championship draw at Turf Moor in September 2011. The only time he hasn’t scored against the club was in a 2-0 defeat for the Clarets at St Mary’s in February 2012.
Should be a cracking atmosphere on Saturday as they always travel in good numbers and are usually very vocal.......
