It turned out Brighton beautiful as Saints at last found their scoring touch to kick-start their season.

This Worthington League Cup tie had been billed as a potential banana skin for Southampton who had failed to hit the net in their first three games of the campaign.

But they remained sure-footed and composed to pick their way carefully through to Saturday's third round draw thanks to two goals from super Swede Anders Svensson and another from the recalled James Beattie.

Given the enormity of the tragedy in America, it seems almost inappropriate to glory in a victory which really pales into insignificance on a global scale.

But in football terms at least it was a major step forward and a much-needed boost to Saints fans' morale which had sagged so much thatthey could not even sell their full allocation of 1,000 seats for a local derby.

While not wholly convincing, this vital victory could prove a turning point in the campaign purely from the confidence boost which comes from scoring three times and keeping a clean sheet.

In fact Saints could have more than doubled their tally while Brighton did not even manage a shot on target with dangerman Bobby Zamora well and truly shackled.

On this showing at least, it was easy to see why Stuart Gray has not moved for the £2 million rated striker who has scored goals-a-bundle in the lower divisions.

As soon as he came up against a solid, disciplined defence he struggled to make an impact with Dean Richards and Claus Lundekvam alternatively policing him up blind alleys.

The home team were undoubtedly fired up and threw themselves into the tie with all the gusto expected from cup underdogs.

They had plenty of first-half possession but the roars from the crowd were more in hope than expectation as Saints weathered the early and rather brief storm and then began to impose themselves.

Their lack of confidence manifested itself with rather too many hopeful long balls at first but they did at least have some variation in attack for the first time this season.

That was down to the welcome introduction of hot Aussie prospect Scott McDonald who did what Marian Pahars used to do before he was shunted wide by Glenn Hoddle.

He ran at defenders! His footwork - exemplified by a spin on the ball to match that of Juan Sebastian Veron - was a joy.

The 18-year-old showed no fear on his debut, taking men on and making darting runs to give the midfielders vital options and to feed on the knock-downs from Beattie.

The match - and possibly Southampton's season - turned just two minutes before half-time.

Saints had struggled to find width early on but Wayne Bridge got forward well and laid off for Svensson to cross, the ball deflected for Beattie to lash into the roof of the net from eight yards.

The effect was instant and dramatic as a warm glow of confidence visibly spread through the side. For the first time this season they had a lead to defend.

They came out for the second half with increased stature and belief - and they began to play.

First and foremost they quashed any hopes of a Brighton revival with their emphatic defending through midfield and at the back.

Then they upped the stakes in attack and the Second Division side wilted. The key second goal came on 70 minutes when Richards played the ball out of defence for Matt Oakley to find Svensson.

He sliced his way smoothly through the heart of the home defence before driving a low shot from 18 yards into the bottom right corner.

That killed the game as a contest and as a spectacle as Saints clinically ran down the clock, concentrating on protecting what they had.

But when the chance arose to seal it Svensson cut along the top of the box from left to right and thumped through the centre with the power beating Michel Kuipers.

The Brighton keeper played a blinder making a string of fine saves including two after just eight minutes, first from the unmarked Beattie's sidefoot and then from a Richards header at the resulting corner.

He denied McDonald a debut goal as he ran clean through and then somehow reached a goalbound blast from Kevin Davies before finishing with a terrific flying stop from Rory Delap's late hammer.

In contrast Albion managed only half-hearted hard luck stories. The game might have been very different if an early Zamora knock home had not been disallowed for offside.

The striker tried to claim a penalty for a supposed pull by Jo Tessem and the only other efforts were from long range and off target.