Saints secured their second league win of the season with a convincing 4-1 victory over Gillingham at St. Mary's.

Most of the damage was done towards the end of the first half where Alan Pardew's side took a 3-1 lead going into the interval.

The manager had to shuffle his pack by bringing back Paul Wotton into midfield after Morgan Schneiderlin suffered a groin injury in midweek.

The former Plymouth captain played the full 90 minutes as Saints put in a well organised performance with the creative flair to boot.

Saints: Davis, James, Jaidi, Trotman, Harding, Wotton, Hammond, Mellis, N'Diaye (Holmes 85), Lallana (Gillett 75), Lambert (Paterson 86). Subs (not used): Forecast, Perry, Saganowski, Preen.

Gillingham: Royce, Fuller, Maher, Bentley, Palmer, Barcham, Gowling, Jackman (Payne 6), Oli, Weston, Rooney (McCammon 72). Subs (not used): Julian, Nutter, Richards, Erskine, Yussuff.

Referee: Stuart Attwell

Attendance: 19,457

Saints kicked off towards the Northam End with a slight chill in the air at St. Mary's with the memories of Tuesday evening's late defeat still fresh in the minds.

A Simeon Jackson-less Gillingham side looked to hit Saints on the break as Mark Stimson's team had to make do without their leading goal scorer.

The visitors were nearly undone in the first attack of the game, when an Adam Lallana flick on found Jacob Mellis inside the Gills area. However, the Chelsea youngster could only swing a volley on the turn over the bar.

Dan Harding had to be alert to clear the lines at the other end before Lallana collected a pass from ball from the same player to unleash a fierce drive towards goal which Royce had to turn behind for a corner in the third minute. The resulting set piece was headed narrowly wide at the far post by Radhi Jaidi.

Gills midfielder Danny Jackman went down with what looked like a serious shoulder injury after five minutes of play and he had to be replaced by Jack Payne as the visitors had to make an enforced early change.

After a slow start to the game, the match was brought to life in the 13th minute as Alan Pardew's side went in front. Dean Hammond supplied a telling cross from the right which was volleyed home by Rickie Lambert into the bottom corner from ten yards out.

Lambert showed terrific technique for his goal and was in the thick of the action in the next attack too, as he picked out Lallana in the area but the number 20 was denied by a deflection.

A 24th minute attack from the hosts saw the number seven start a move which he was unfortunate not to be on the end of as he flighted a perfect pass to Lloyd James on the right who turned the ball back into the area, but it was headed clear before the striker could finish what he had started.

Two minutes later the visitors, who had rarely tested Kelvin Davis, were back on level terms as Luke Rooney clipped a first time shot into the back of the net from the edge of the area to square things up.

Saints were almost back in front from the re-start as Papa Waigo N'Diaye found himself well placed to finish from close range, but Royce did just enough to put the Senegalese forward off his stride as the ball went out for a goal kick.

Just past the half hour mark Southampton were desperately unlucky not to go back in front as Hammond found Mellis just outside of the area. The 18 year-old turned and struck the base of the post with a firm shot which N'Diaye almost lofted over the Gills 'keeper.

Saints eventually did make it 2-1 on 35 minutes as Papa Waigo N'Diaye celebrated his first goal for the club in front of the Northam. Lambert flicked a header on inside the area and N'Diaye broke through to finish from six yards for a neat goal.

Three minutes before the break Neal Trotman picked up the first booking of the match from referee Stuart Attwell when he caught Curtis Weston on the touchline.

It was 3-1 on 43 minutes when Mellis picked out Lallana and the attacking midfielder collected the ball off his first touch, before firing low to give Saints a two goal advantage going into the half time interval.

Half Time: Saints 3-1 Gillingham

The hosts began the second period with a prolonged spell in the Gills half, but the first effort of the new half fell to Andrew Barcham for the visitors who blazed wide inside the area on 53 minutes.

Five minutes later, Harding floated a dangerous looking free-kick towards the back post. Lambert and Hammond were lurking but neither could quite reach the ball as it went wide of the left hand post.

Trotman connected with Wotton's cross shortly afterwards, but the defender's flicked attempt was off target.

Lambert fired a goal bound free-kick on 65 which Royce kept out with a fingertip save, to deny the forward what would have been a second goal in the game.

In the 71st minute Saints almost scored once more as Papa Waigo found a way through on the right before fizzing in a low ball across goal which Lallana narrowly missed as he tried to connect at the far post.

Curtis Weston's cross at the other end was plucked out of the air by Davis who had a relatively quiet afternoon in the Saints goal.

A move which involved a string of fine passes led to a fourth goal for Saints and a second for Lallana. Mellis, James and N'Diaye had all shaped to shoot before the England Under-21 international cut inside from the left to finish low into the far corner for 4-1.

Lallana was replaced by Simon Gillett for the final quarter of an hour and he received a standing ovation for his afternoon's efforts.

With six minutes to go Lambert required treatment from the physio as Saints defended some late pressure.

Matthew Paterson replaced Lambert not long after Lee Holmes had come on for Papa Waigo N'Diaye as Saints saw out the game relatively comfortably, leading to chants of 'We've got points' in reference to Saints' move into a positive point tally in the league table.

Full Time: Saints 4-1 Gillingham