Gus Poyet received the perfect birthday present today after his tenure as Albion manager got off to a winning start in a rip-roaring encounter at St Mary's.
Glenn Murray stunned the home crowd twice in a blistering opening spell for the Seagulls, and although Rickie Lambert pulled one back for the Saints before the break, skipper Andrew Crofts sealed a brilliant win late on.
After an initial flurry from the home side, it was Albion who came closest to breaking the deadlock when Nicky Forster span in the area but his left-foot shot deflected across the face of goal under the challenge of Radhi Jaidi.
And having found a foothold in the deafening atmosphere here, the Seagulls took the lead. Dean Cox - who had been switched out the right by Poyet moments before - played a neat one-two with skipper Andrew Crofts, before curling in a perfect cross for Murray to guide the ball effortlessly into the bottom corner.
Murray was causing the Saints defence all kinds of trouble, and had an excellent shout for a penalty denied when he appeared to be tripped from behind by Neil Trotman as he skipped into the area.
Murray wasn't to be denied though, and when Forster played him into a similar position, this time the striker got his shot away. Kelvin Davis managed to get his fingers to the ball to direct it onto the post, but the rebound fell straight for Murray to volley home.
The 26-year-old was in imperious form, and his sublime through-ball released Forster but the veteran forward was steered away from goal by Dan Harding and was unable to trouble Davis.
The Saints grew in stature as the half progressed though, and had Albion under increasing pressure. Michel Kuipers saved well from Rickie Lambert's low free-kick, and was called into action minutes later to block the striker's snapshot from 18 yards.
The pressure finally told with a minute or so to go before the break, when referee Kevin Friend decided Andrew Whing had bundled Adam Lallana over, and pointed to the spot. Lambert stepped up and gave Kuipers no chance from 12 yards.
Southampton maintained the pressure after the interval, but except for a good chance for Dean Hammond, who skied the ball over the bar with his left foot, Kuipers was rarely tested.
Instead it was Albion who almost increased their advantage when substitute Gary Hart caused mayhem in the Saints area with a low cross which eventually fell to Crofts, but his shot was brilliantly saved by Davis diving to his right.
The home side then had their best chance to equalise when Michail Antonio crossed from the right, but Lallana put his header wide.
It would prove vital, because with four minutes remaining Crofts put the game beyond the Saints. Gary Dicker played in substitute Liam Dickinson on the left, and the big-man squared to Crofts on the edge of the area, who arrowed the ball into the bottom corner to mark his captaincy in style and send the 2000 fans behind the goal into delirium.
Southampton: (4-4-2) Davis; James, Trotman (Thomas 46), Jaidi, Harding (Mills 84); Antonio (N'Diaye 78), Hammond, Schneiderlin, Lallana; Lambert, Connolly. Subs not used: Bialkowski (GK), Mellis, Wotton, Paterson.
Albion: (4-4-2) Kuipers; Whing, Elphick, Tunnicliffe, El-Abd; Bennett (Navarro 75), Crofts, Dicker, Cox (Hart 60); Forster (Dickinson 75), Murray. Subs not used: Smith (GK), Livermore, Virgo, C Davies.
Attendance: 21,932 (2,709 Albion)
Referee: Kevin Friend
Yellow Cards: Dicker, Murray (Albion)
