Saints caught cold as City go second

The Championship newcomers quickly seized control, with Northern Ireland international Sproule scoring an excellent solo goal on 16 minute to leave the south coast club with a job to get back into the game.

But City allowed Saints to do just that after the visitors improved dramatically in the second half and they pulled a goal back through Jamie McAllister's own goal on 54 minutes following a shot by Bradley Wright-Phillips.

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Despite worrying moments as Saints searched for an equaliser, City held on to their unbeaten home record.

If City continue like this, they will have to be taken seriously in the race for the play-off places at least.

Southampton kicked off buoyed by their recent good form, having won three of their last four games, but they were handicapped last night by the loss of five defenders through injury.

And, after conceding 11 goals in their previous five games, they were always likely to be vulnerable at the back against Gary Johnson's imaginative side.

The upheaval in defence left Saints looking muddled and it took City just four minutes to capitalise.

Michael McIndoe's cross from a fourth-minute short corner found Marvin Elliott. His header was blocked but his former Millwall team-mate Byfield pounce on the loose ball to convert from close in for his fourth of the season.

Southampton responded immediately but Stern John, their match-winner against Cardiff at St Mary's on Sunday, fired over the crossbar from 30 yards.

The visitors continued to look porous at the back and their task quickly became even more difficult.

Sproule cut in from the right and, after beating Youssef Safri and Christian Dailly, the midfielder hammered a low, left- footed shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

It was his first goal for City since joining from Hibernian in the summer.

Southampton could only muster an overhead kick that went wide from Wright-Phillips shortly before the interval in a largely uninspired response to City's early double blow.

But after making such an assertive start, City went into their shell later in the half and seemed content to preserve their two-goal lead rather than speculate by creating more chances.

Southampton emerged after the break with far more intent and, after two minutes, Inigo Idiakez's corner found Stern John, but the Trinidad and Tobago striker's header was blocked by Elliott.

City failed to contain the sudden threat Southampton posed and Wright-Phillips found the target after a 54th-minute counter attack.

Idiakez, who was proving a menace for Saints after coming on as a substitute, crossed low from the left for Wright-Phillips to lash in via a deflection off McAllister.

Saints now upped the pace and it was the City defence under pressure.

But Johnson's men clung on and Safri's dismissal in the last minute only added to Southampton's frustration.