Southampton 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 3

Glenn Murray's double in a blistering start from the visitors ultimately proved to be the difference, as Gus Poyet got off to a winning start as Seagulls boss.

Rickie Lambert replied with a penalty late in the first half, after Adam Lallana was fouled, but Andrew Crofts sealed the win late on.

The result means Saints missed the chance to leapfrog Brighton and escape the drop zone.

Key incidents

FULL TIME 1-3: Well, that's it. Brighton deservedly take home the three points, while Saints miss the chance to get out of the relegation zone.

90 mins: Waigo goes close, as the fourth official signals five minutes of injury time.

86 mins, GOAL 1-3: Dickinson lays the ball off to Crofts, who hammers home from the edge of the box. That probably condemns Saints to a very disappointing defeat.

84 mins: Final substitution for Saints, as Joseph Mills replaces Harding.

78 mins: Pardew makes his second change, replacing Antonio with Waigo.

68 mins: Lallana nearly brings Saints level, but his header from James' exquisite right wing cross goes just wide.

64 mins: The ball breaks to Crofts in the box, but Davis gets down to make a brilliant stop, which could prove to be very important.

51 mins: Should have been 2-2. Antonio's long throw causes a scramble in the box. The ball falls to Hammond in space, but he blazes over from eight yards against his old club. Connolly shoots just wide from 20 yards shortly after.

49 mins: Forster's cross from the left loops over Davis and clips the post. Nearly a freak third for the visitors.

46 mins: Pardew replaces Trotman with Thomas as the second half gets underway.

HALF TIME 1-2: Lambert's penalty has got Saints back into the game, but Brighton could have been out of sight after their blistering start.

45 mins + 2: Lallana stretches to reach a cross into the box from the right, but despite finding space can't get high enough to direct his header goalwards.

43 mins, GOAL 1-2: Lambert emphatically dispatches the spot kick. Plenty of power and right in the corner. A great penalty and just what Saints needed.

42 mins, PENALTY: After Kuipers keeps out Lambert's volley, Whing brings down Lallana in the box and the referee gives Saints a penalty.

36 mins: Hammond is fouled 25 yards from goal. Lambert steps up and curls a low free kick towards the bottom corner, but Kuipers gets down well to push it wide.

34 mins: Saints finally get their first meaningful shot of the game, although it wasn't a great one. Lallana does well to work room on the edge of the box, but his left foot shot is too weak to trouble Kuipers.

27 mins: Forster's almost in again, as he outmuscles Harding. The Albion forward spots Davis off his line, but his attempted lob has nowhere near enough height. Could well have been 3-0.

25 mins: Murray plays in Forster, but Harding gets back to do enough to force him to shoot wide from the edge of the box. Brighton are running Saints' defence ragged.

21 mins, GOAL 0-2: Saints are giving the Brighton forwards so much room. Murray bursts through and, although his initial shot comes back off the post, the rebound falls straight to him and he taps into an empty net.

19 mins: Murray has a penalty appeal turned down, as he goes down under Trotman's challenge. Referee was well placed, but looked a very good shout for a spot kick.

16 mins, GOAL 0-1: Nice move down the right from Brighton. Cox's delivery is turned in by Murray, as the visitors take a surprise lead.

14 mins: Forster hits a fierce shot from 20 yards, but it is straight at Kelvin Davis.

12 mins: Antonio shows off his blistering pace down the right, breezing past a couple of Brighton defenders before winning a corner, which ultimately comes to nothing. Antonio looks very lively in the early stages.

9 mins: Forster works room in the box, but his left foot shot across goal deflects off Jaidi and whistles just wide of the far post.

0 mins: We're underway at St Mary's.

Saints

Davis, James, Jaidi, Trotman, Harding; Hammond, Schneiderlin, Lallana, Antonio, Lambert, Connolly.
Subs: Bialkowski, Thomas, Waigo, Mills, Mellis, Wotton, Paterson.

Brighton & Hove

Kuipers, Whing, Tunnicliffe, Elphick, El-Abd, Bennett, Cox, Dicker, Crofts, Murray, Forster.
Subs: Smith, Navarro, Dickinson, Livermore, Hart, Virgo, Davies.

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).