Saints earn a first leg lead in the JPT Area Final with a 1-0 win at stadium:mk.

A smart first half finish from Michail Antonio means that it is advantage Saints in the Trophy going into the second leg at St. Mary's in just under three weeks' time.

Alan Pardew's side put MK Dons under severe pressure from the start and with around 3,000 travelling supporters packed into the North Stand at one end helping to create a true cup tie atmosphere as the hosts only marginally sold more seats around the newly built ground.

The last ten minutes were a little less comfortable for the visitors as the match official cautioned a total of four Saints players before showing a red card to Morgan Schneiderlin for violent conduct which unless the decision is appealed, will see the Frenchman miss the next three matches.

MK Dons: Gueret, Lewington, Doumbe, Woodards, McCracken, Gleeson, Leven (Randall 35), Puncheon, Chadwick (Stirling 63), Easter (Baldock 74), Wilbraham. Subs (not used): Baldock, Carrington, Powell.

Saints: Davis, Thomas, Fonte, Perry, Mills, Wotton, Schneiderlin, James, Antonio (Papa Waigo 90), Lallana (Holmes 72), Lambert. Subs (not used): Bialkowski, Martin, Saganowski.

Referee: Mr. J. Moss (West Yorks)

Attendance: 7,918

Pardew made enforced changes to his team with Dan Harding, Dean Hammond, Daniel Seaborne and Jon Otsemobor unavailable from the side that played at Millwall on Saturday.

Recent signing José Fonte skippered the team in just his second game for Saints.

The large following of Southampton fans responded to the call from the manager to cover the visiting end in yellow, a colour which has served the club well in cup competitions down the years.

The hosts got things underway on a cool, dry evening in Buckinghamshire as Saints immediately set about their task by applying the early pressure at the end housing their own fans.

Inside the opening two minutes of play captain for the night, José Fonte, who had remained in an advanced position from a previous attack, collected Lloyd James' cross and smashed a low shot narrowly wide of Gueret's right post.

On ten minutes, Antonio burst down the right remaining onside and forced a corner as the visitors ramped up their promising start to the game.

The Dons were awarded a soft looking free-kick three minutes later as Fonte and Peter Leven challenged for the ball on the edge of the area. Jason Puncheon stepped up and curled a low effort wide of Kelvin Davis' goal.

Antonio tested Gueret from distance, before he put in a long throw from the left which created problems for the Dons' backline as the ball bounced high inside the area. From Lallana's blocked acrobatic effort the ball looped up off a combination of Wayne Thomas and Luke Chadwick to clip the crossbar on its way out for a corner.

Lallana found himself one on one with Gueret after a slip allowed him in to collect Lambert's pass. The youngster tried to take his shot early, but the 'keeper got just enough of a touch on the ball to keep it out.

In the 26th minute Saints took the lead. Lambert's free-kick from range picked Antonio out inside the area. The winger swiveled and hit a sweet volley in off the far post to send the travelling support into raptures.

Saints didn't let up from there, and buoyed by their slight advantage went straight back on to the attack. Lambert struck a direct free-kick uncharacteristically high and wide before goalscorer Antonio, forced another corner.

Paul Ince was forced to shuffle his pack ten minutes before the break as Arsenal loanee Mark Randall replaced Peter Leven in midfield with Puncheon shooting wide again moments later.

The high tempo nature of the game died down towards the end of the half, but tempers briefly flared as Mark Randall brought down Morgan Schneiderlin in the middle of the field. The substitute earned a yellow card for his challenge whilst Lloyd James and Kelvin Davis followed the Dons player into the referee's notebook for their reactions to the foul.

Half Time: MK Dons 0-1 Saints

The first five minutes of the new half were all played in the Dons half as Saints picked up from where they left off. A possible claim for a penalty went unnoticed by the assistant on the near side as Fonte rose for the ball with an outstretched hand making contact from a Dons defender.

The hosts almost caught Saints out as they charged through the middle on a break led by Puncheon which eventually saw Chadwick's dangerous low cross turned out by James.

As the noise from the sparse home support gradually crept up Jermaine Easter forced Davis into a save with his feet as the striker's shot arrowed toward sthe centre of goal.

On the hour mark Antonio nearly doubled his tally for the evening as he took down Paul Wotton's lofted ball forward and hit a curling shot which took a deflection as it went out for another Saints corner.

Jude Stirling was introduced for Chadwick as the hosts looked for another dimension going forward with the substitute having a long throw of his own to rival Antonio's.

Wayne Thomas became the third Saints player of the match to receive a caution as he collided with Dons' captain Dean Lewington on the edge of the hosts' area.

Pardew made his first change of the game on 72 as Lee Holmes replaced Lallana before Paul Ince made his last switch with Sam Baldock replacing Jermaine Easter in attack.

Holmes was booked for kicking the ball away as referee Jon Moss started to dish out the cards quicker than the postal service as he then dismissed Schneiderlin and cautioned Stephen Gleeson for a clash on halfway.

The sending off of the Frenchman appeared harsh, as Saints were forced to play the last ten minutes or so with just ten men.

As play resumed, the hosts put on the pressure. Puncheon's 84th minute strike from range was kept out by a superb one handed save low to his right by Davis before Aaron Wilbraham rattled the inside of the near post with a close range flick which had Davis beaten.

Jude Stirling's ambitious swirling effort from distance was held by Davis as four minutes of stoppage time went up.

James and Lambert linked up in the corner as Saints tried to run the clock down although the former almost went one better as he forced Gueret into a fine diving save in the second minute of additional time.

Antonio went down with cramp as Papa Waigo came on in his place to defend a late free-kick which the Senegalese man duly headed away before Davis collected a second set piece with one of the last kicks of the game to keep Saints' advantage going into the second leg.

Full Time: MK Dons 0-1 Saints