Southampton 0 West Brom 3 - match report

Marc-Antoine Fortune gave the Baggies a half-time lead with a scruffy opener and provided a classy pass for Romelu Lukaku to make it 2-0 after half-time.

But Fortune marred an impressive day by getting sent off for retaliating after Gaston Ramirez was red-carded for an elbow on Shane Long.

Long then added a third goal for the Baggies late on before Danny Fox was dismissed for a shocking challenge on Steven Reid to ensure the hosts ended with nine men.

The victory took Steve Clarke's men to 48 points – beating their previous Premier League best of 47 – in front of more than 3,000 travelling fans, many of whom travelled south on a fleet of free coaches.

Albion made a bright start but they survived an early moment of alarm when Adam Lallana burst down the Southampton right and delivered a dangerous cross, which Ben Foster claimed bravely.

The visitors continued to press and, on five minutes, Lukaku raced clear to collect a flick-on and was denied by a smart low save by Artur Boruc in the home goal.

But just a minute later the Baggies made their breakthrough with a scrappy goal from a Graham Dorrans corner.

The flag-kick was flicked on twice, first by Gareth McAuley on the edge of the area and then by Lukaku 10 yards out.

And Fortune spun away from a defender to force the ball just over the line, with the officials awarding the goal correctly despite Danny Fox's desperate attempt at a scrambling clearance.

Lukaku was denied again by Boruc in the 20th minute as he looked to apply the finishing touch to a fine Albion move.

He raced onto a Dorrans pass after a neat link-up between James Morrison and Shane Long but saw a tame effort blocked by the keeper.

Albion had a chance to double their lead when Jonas Olsson arrived completely unmarked to meet a Dorrans free-kick but his flick across goal was too high with several players waiting to pounce.

But the Saints had a good spell ahead of half-time and Foster had to make a smart save to keep out a firm shot by Nathaniel Clyne.

Albion continued to hold the upper hand, however, and another excellent move ended with Long teeing up Lukaku, who had another disappointing effort blocked by Boruc.

There was a moment of alarm for Albion early in the second half when Clyne made another surging run on the overlap and hit Albion's crossbar from what looked an impossible angle.

But there was little else to report in the opening 15 minutes of the second period.

That changed on 67 minutes, however, as Albion doubled their lead with a goal of real quality.

Fortune produces a superb turn and a wonderful pass to send Lukaku racing clear and he kept his composure impressively to round Boruc and score.

With 20 minutes remaining both sides were reduced to 10 men following an angry flare-up near halfway.

Ramirez was the first to be sent off as he swung a forearm recklessly into the face of Long.

But Fortune retaliated to even up the numbers, pushing a hand into the face of the Uruguayan to earn a stupid red card of his own.

Albion made sure of the victory with 12 minutes to go, however, with another goal of quality.

Lukaku provided a perfect pass for Long, who cut in from the left and produced a side-footed finish.

The hosts were down to nine men on 82 minutes when Fox flew into a dangerous tackle on Steven Reid and received his marching orders.

By Steve Madeley