Southampton 1 West Brom 0 - match report and pictures

Adam Lallana's second-half goal gave the Saints a thoroughly deserved victory as new head coach Mel watched the Baggies from the stands following his appointment on Thursday.

Shane Long missed a glorious last-minute chance to rescue a point for Albion but it would have been an unfair reflection of the game.

And Mel will have a tough task on his hands when he takes the reins next week.

The hosts made a positive start and had two decent chances in the opening 10 minutes.

First captain Adam Lallana spun away from Gareth McAuley on the edge of the area but sent his shot too close to Baggies keeper Ben Foster.

And then Albion failed to clear a ball bouncing around their penalty area and Rickie Lambert sent a shot just wide.

Steven Davis also had a chance to shoot for the Saints but his volley was well off-target.

Albion had a rare chance when Morgan Schneiderlin fouled Nicolas Anelka and Steven Reid hammered a free-kick just over the bar.

But in a poor game, the Baggies struggled to cope with the hosts' pressing game and found themselves continually caught in possession.

Albion had a break late in the first half when Shane Long raced down the right and centred for an unmarked Morrison, but he miscontrolled a difficult, bouncing ball.

And the Saints then threatened again when Lambert volleyed well off target from a Steven Davis cross.

Albion had a let-off early in the second half when James Morrison and Youssouf Mulumbu combined to gift possession to Jay Rodriguez, who escaped the attentions of Gareth McAuley but fired wide.

There was a rare opening for the Baggies when Long charged down the left and found himself in the box, with his backheel finding Morgan Amalfitano.

But the Frenchman could not make anything of the chance and the moved petered out.

Southampton had been the better side and they claimed a deserved lead on 76 minutes.

Substitute Gaston Ramirez flicked a ball into the Albion box and Lallana exploited worrying gaps in the visitors' back four before drilling a low shot past Ben Foster.

The rest of the game was a non-event, although the Baggies finally compiled a decent move late on, but Morrison fired well wide.

And in the final minute of the 90 Long squandered a fantastic chance to draw the Baggies level.

Liam Ridgewell's cross was turned goalwards by Long but Polish keeper Artur Boruc made a fine block low down, but Long should have done better.