Watch Shane Long score fastest ever Premier League goal after just seven seconds for Southampton at Watford

SHANE LONG has netted the fastest goal in Premier League history after putting Southampton ahead in just SEVEN seconds against Watford.

Long chipped the Saints into the lead at Vicarage Road to leave the home crowd stunned - despite Watford kicking off.

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The 32-year-old wrote his name in the record books as Ralph Hasenhuttl's men got off to a blistering start against the Hornets.

In doing so, he took the record from Tottenham legend Ledley King, who found the back of the net in 9.9 seconds against Bradford.

That effort in 2000 looked almost impossible to beat - but now Long has shattered it in emphatic style.

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Watford kicked off and the ball was passed straight back to defender Craig Cathcart, who took a touch to try to pick out a team-mate upfield.

But Long was quick to pressure his opponent, and charged down Cathcart's clearance to put himself clean through on goal.

The Ireland striker said of his goal: "Ninety nine times out of 100 you try to block those clearances and miss it but I knew the early finish was the only one I could take."

The Republic of Ireland international kept his composure to lift his shot past Hornets keeper Ben Foster into the net.

The goal came so quickly that hundreds of supporters were still making their way to their seats having just missed the kick-off.

That strike looks set to be the only goal of the game until Andre Gray hammered the ball into the ground and past Saints goalkeeper Angus Gunn in the 90th minute.

The point could be a crucial one for both teams as Watford moved back up into 7th above Everton while Southampton now sit a comfortable six points away from the relegation zone.

Long commented after the 1-1 draw: "It's nice to have records like that but it would be nicer to get the winning goal."

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