Half-Time Report: Steven Davis, Graziano Pelle put Southampton on their way

Southampton have made their first-half pressure count at St Mary's by taking a 2-0 lead into half time against Premier League strugglers Bournemouth.

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It was the home side who came closest to getting off the mark inside the opening 15 minutes, as Sadio Mane twice fired narrowly over the bar when picked out in space.

Southampton, who had pegged their opponents back in their own half for large parts of the opening quarter of the contest, then had a small shout for a penalty turned down when Jordy Clasie's effort cannoned back off Simon Francis.

The ball hit the defender's chest, though, rather than his arm, but the Saints did not have to wait too much longer to finally make a breakthrough.

Steven Davis was the man to score it, pulling away from former Portsmouth man Sylvain Distin to volley home Dusan Tadic's left-sided cross.

A second goal followed less than four minutes later, this time courtesy of Graziano Pelle who himself got the better of Distin to nod home another Tadic assist.