Saints recorded a 2-0 win over lowly Stockport County at St. Mary's.

Goals from Rickie Lambert and substitute Papa Waigo ended the visitors' resilience in the game and moved Saints up to eleventh in the table.

Lambert notched his 23rd goal of the campaign with an effort bundled home from Joseph Mills' 62nd minute corner and the Papa Waigo struck less than ten minutes after his introduction to the match with a close range effort that gave the busier of the two 'keepers on the afternoon Owain Fon Williams no chance.

Saints: Davis, Otsemobor, Fonte, Seaborne, Mills, Antonio, Wotton, Schneiderlin, Holmes, Lambert, Barnard (Papa Waigo 61). Subs (not used): Bialkowski, Harding, Thomas, Perry, Jaidi, Gillett.

Stockport: Fon Williams, Turnbull, Partridge (Donnelly 70), Raynes, Swailes, Sadler, Perkins, Poole, Pilkington (Griffin 80), Johnson, Vincent. Subs (not used): Gerrard, Tansey, Rowe, Barnes, Darkwah.

Referee: Mr. F. Graham (Essex)

Attendance: 18,308 (including 409 away)

Lloyd James and Adam Lallana both missed out through knocks. Recent defensive signing José Fonte skippered the side on his St. Mary's bow.

New signing Jason Puncheon was not signed in time to play, but was presented to the crowd prior to kick-off.

Saints lined up with three defenders making their debuts at St. Mary's as Jon Otsemobor, Dan Seaborne and captain for the day José Fonte taking their place alongside left back Joseph Mills.

Stockport got things underway on a bright day with a chill in the air on the south coast as they defended the Northam End housing a small gathering of County fans who had made the long journey south.

Few chances were created in the opening exchanges although Lambert tried his luck from distance almost straight from kick off, but his lob drifted high and wide of Owain Fon Williams' goal.

The visitors tested Kelvin Davis in the tenth minute when midfielder David Poole struck a firm effort in at the near post which the Saints stopper had to turn behind for a corner, but that was the closest County came early on despite winning a succession of corners.

Morgan Schneiderlin drew a diving save from Fon Williams in the 24th minute as David Perkins went to ground with a knock. The French midfielder struck a rising shot from distance that the County 'keeper saw enough of to collect at the first attempt.

A brief stop in play whilst Perkins received treatment allowed the two sides to regroup as Alan Pardew delivered some fresh instructions to his side which almost reaped dividends immediately as Antonio's run and cross from the right picked out Lambert who headed back across towards Barnard but was intercepted by defender Danny Swailes.

On 33 minutes Paul Wotton was fouled as he charged towards the area presenting a chance for Lambert to have a crack at goal. The former Stockport striker's shot was hit low and came back off the wall as a breakthrough in the game remained elusive.

Antonio's pressure from another run on the right saw him just run out of space to supply a cross as Paul Turnbull came across to push the ball out for a Saints corner which came to nothing.

Richie Partridge hit a low shot from range into the arms from Davis before Saints nearly found the back of the net through one of the new arrivals to the Club.

Antonio's throw in was flicked on by the head of Lambert and into the path of Barnard who powered a firm header from close range which had it gone either side of Fon Williams would have resulted in a certain goal.

Wotton was denied from another string hit from distance by Fon Williams as the match stayed goalless going into the break.

Half Time: Saints 0-0 Stockport County

Antonio flashed a shot narrowly wide of the near post shortly after the re-start as Saints made a livelier start to the new half.

Joseph Mills was booked for a foul on Poole as the visitors launched a 48th minute counter-attack which was abruptly ended by the full back on halfway.

Barnard was kept out once more by the visiting 'keeper as he rose to meet Otsemobor's deep cross from the right, but the striker's effort was held firm by Fon Williams on his goal line.

In the 54th minute Mills' drag back across the edge of the box found Lambert, who turned and hit a smart shot which was pushed out by Fon Williams just away from Barnard before the clearance was completed for a Saints corner.

From the resulting set piece taken by Mills, Lambert headed just over the frame of the goal.

On the hour mark, Fonte was the next to go closest as he swivelled and shot on the turn from Lambert's knock down inside the area which Fon Williams held.

Saints made their first substitution of the match shortly afterwards as Papa Waigo was the introduced for Barnard who had worked hard again in search of his first goal for the Club.

Papa Waigo immediately set about his task and won a corner, from which Saints duly took the lead from.

Mills delivered the ball into the six yard box which fell into the back of the net off Lambert who turned away to celebrate his 23rd strike of the season.

Senegalese forward Papa Waigo went close to extending the lead first with a header from Holmes' cross which went wide and then from a low strike which was he hit firmly after taking a high ball down inside the area with a sublime first touch.

On 69 it was 2-0 as Waigo got in on the goal scoring act with a neat finish from close range after collecting Otsemobor's cross from the right and keeping his cool to strike a shot high past Fon Williams.

County replaced Richie Partridge with one time Saints trialist George Donnelly immediately afterwards to bolster their attack which hadn't had a sniff since Saints got themselves in front.

Lambert was presented with an opportunity with a free-kick from range on 75 minutes and the forward went close to his second goal of the game as his fantastic effort was dropped by the 'keeper but gathered at the second attempt just as Fonte rushed in.

County boss Gary Ablett brought on Adam Griffin for Danny Pilkington with ten minutes left on the clock as the earlier tempo of the match began to creep back in, but Saints saw out the game with a reasonably routine victory with a clean sheet to boot.

Full Time: Saints 2-0 Stockport County