Pictures and analysis of Southampton 0 Albion 3

Super scoreline. Fabulous timing. Perfect day. Steve Clarke continues to set West Brom's targets higher and higher.

Yet on Saturday evening, it was hard to believe life as a Baggies fan could get much better than this.

With an impeccable sense of occasion, the swashbuckling Albion of autumn made a long-awaited reappearance to ensure a record-breaking, history-making afternoon on the south coast.

It was a fine performance with which to rewrite Baggies record books.

But the fact that more than 3,000 travelling fans were present to witness their team's return to form, made the day so much more special. And of course, events at Molineux helped, too.

If there were Baggies fans who felt sympathy for the plight of Wolves as they slid to the brink of Championship relegation, they didn't make themselves heard at St Mary's.

The travelling contingent mocked their neighbours mercilessly as they watched their own side tear apart an in-form Saints side with a performance reminiscent of those heady days at the start of the season when Clarke's men were third in the table and dreaming of Europe.

For the striped army that trekked to Hampshire, it was a dream cocktail of events that made their day more memorable than they dared to imagine when they departed the West Midlands early on Saturday morning.

Granted, it could have been even better. There were collective groans when Tottenham equalised at Wigan to take a little of the heat off Villa in the Premier League relegation battle.

There was a modicum of frustration as Romelu Lukaku missed a handful of good chances to ensure Albion's own game remained in the balance much longer than it should have.

And Marc-Antoine Fortune's stupid sending off – one of three on the day – marred the success just a little.

But there were very few travelling fans whose glasses were half empty come 5pm on Saturday. Because, as away trips go, this one was pretty flawless for the long-distance supporters, 2,000 of whom had gone to St Mary's free of charge thanks to the Baggies' annual coaches offer.

And statistically, it was a red-letter day for their club, too. The records have been on the cards for weeks so it was little surprise when they eventually arrived.

But their predictability does not make them any less impressive for Clarke and Co.

A club-record 14th Premier League victory in a season ensured Albion's highest ever points total since the top flight was rebranded, and all with four matches to spare. It made sure, too, that they remained six points clear of the chasing pack in eighth place and on course to clinch the best-of-the-rest spot behind the division's established big names.

And it gave Albion their first win at Southampton since a 2-0 success in 1969.

Best of all, they did it all with a style and swagger that has often been missing since Christmas as they have edged their way towards notable milestones after such a stunning start to the campaign.

With Clarke's bold 4-3-3 selection pinning back the Saints, the Baggies signalled their intentions from the opening moments and they were ahead on six minutes as Gareth McAuley and Romelu Lukaku helped on a Graham Dorrans corner and Marc-Antoine Fortune forced the ball over the line.

And the hosts, so impressive of late under Mauricio Pochettino, were never allowed to respond as the visitors opened them up at will. Lukaku had a trio of fine chances before half-time but was denied a goal by a combination of tame finishing and smart goalkeeping from Artur Boruc.

The Saints' only response was a firm shot from Nathaniel Clyne that drew a good save from Ben Foster in the Albion goal, with Clarke's men maintaining their dominance in second half packed full with incident.

Lukaku made it 2-0 from a fine ball from Fortune, who then tarnished an excellent day's work with a needless dismissal for reacting to an elbow by Gaston Ramirez on Shane Long that had already earned the Uruguayan his marching orders.

But even at 10 versus 10, the Baggies stayed on top. And Long completed the scoring late on when he raced onto a clever Lukaku pass and drilled a low effort through the legs of Boruc.

The hoards of visiting fans shared a moment of mutual appreciation with their side at the final whistle as all reflected on a day that will stand out, even from a season of so many magical memories.

If Clarke intends even better days ahead for his team and their fans, he has taken on one hell of a challenge.

By Steve Madeley