Graziano Pelle scored his first Premier League goal of 2015 as Southampton moved into the Europa League places with a 2-0 win over struggling Hull City.
Second-half substitute James Ward-Prowse opened the scoring with a fine penalty on 57 minutes after Alex Bruce fouled Shane Long.
Pelle, whose last league goal came back in December, then wrapped up the points from close range as the Saints boosted their hopes of European football next term.
Below, Sports Mole takes a closer look at how the game was won at St Mary's.
© Getty Images
Match statistics
SOUTHAMPTON
Shots: 13
On target: 4
Possession: 54%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 7
HULL CITY
Shots: 19
On target: 4
Possession: 46%
Corners: 5
Fouls: 11
Was the result fair?
In the end, yes. Hull were arguably the better side in the first half but they failed to retain that momentum after the break and it proved to be a comfortable win for the hosts. The statistics may point to an even game, but the vast majority of the visitors' numbers were registered in the opening 45 minutes.
Southampton's performance
Having seen their Champions League dream all but dashed at Everton last weekend, there were suggestions that Southampton's glittering season was in real danger of petering out in the final seven games. However, Ronald Koeman's side dismissed that notion with an efficient performance to dispose of struggling Hull and move back into the Europa League places.
It was not a perfect performance, because there were times in the first half where Hull looked comfortably the better side, but the hosts weathered those brief storms and were far and away the better team from the 55th minute onward. It was not happening for them in front of goal, though, with Hull's back four comfortably repelling everything that came their way.
In truth, it was a moment of madness from Bruce which helped swing the contest in Southampton's favour as the City centre-back stupidly fouled Long to allow Ward-Prowse the opportunity to fire them ahead from the penalty spot - and he did so expertly for what was his first Premier League goal.
With the hosts boasting the highest number of clean sheets in the division this season - 15 - it seemed unlikely that they would offer Hull a route back into the contest, and Pelle tapped home Morgan Schneiderlin's cut-back pass in the dying minutes to seal a win that puts them right back into contention for the Europa League.
It's not the Champions League, but qualifying for Europe's secondary competition would still represent a fine campaign in Koeman's first season.
Hull City's performance
On a weekend where Game of Thrones returns to our television screens, Hull's form coming into this clash made for grimmer reading than a teleplay of that hit HBO show. Two points above the drop zone and without a win in five, Steve Bruce's side made the long trip to St Mary's in dire need of a victory and, to their credit, the visitors showed that they're up for this relegation scrap with a promising first-half performance that ultimately yielded no goals.
Strikers Dame N'Doye and Sone Aluko linked up brilliantly throughout the opening 45 minutes, but failing to test goalkeeper Kelvin Davis will have been one of the few concerns for Bruce heading into the break. Another concern would have been how careless they were in midfield, with Tom Huddlestone's range of forward passing deserting him time and time again, while a couple of suicidal back-passes from Jake Livermore very nearly undermined Hull.
Did they build on their first-half performance? No. Somewhere between the half-time whistle and re-emerging for the second half, Hull lost the momentum that had seen them threaten the Saints and their heads dropped completely when Bruce conceded the penalty that led to the opening goal.
Today, they lacked the resilience needed in a relegation battle and the way in which they surrendered will give rise to increasing fears that demotion to the Championship beckons. With Aston Villa and Leicester City both winning, it compounded a miserable afternoon for Bruce and co.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Morgan Schneiderlin: In a game where stand-out candidates for man of the match were few and far between, Schneiderlin has as a good a claim as any with another fantastic midfield performance which will make England's elite more inclined to poach him this summer. The Frenchman also grabbed an assist for Pelle's goal in a rare foray forward.
Biggest gaffe
It probably has to be Steven Davis who, with the goal at his mercy following Dusan Tadic's cut-back pass, blazed over the bar. It came in the dying minutes, with the game already won, but the Northern Irishman certainly should have made it 3-0.
Referee performance
Kevin Friend had a standard game. He got both of the yellow cards correct, and also did not have much to think about when Bruce fouled Long in the area to concede the penalty. Easy decision and a quiet afternoon for the official.
What next?
Southampton: Koeman's troops face a tricky away trip to Stoke City next Saturday.
Hull City: City now have a two-week recovery period due to Liverpool's involvement in the FA Cup semi-final as they face Crystal Palace on April 25.
Shane Callaghan
