Blackburn 2 - Saints 0

A handful of Saints fans who had taken the 25-mile diversion on their way to Ewood Park took a quick look into the world renowned palmist's caravan, but decided against wasting their money - even though the warm, dry sanctuary looked preferable to the incessant rain driving off the Irish Sea.

If only they had, maybe the palmist to the stars would have foretold the horrors which lay ahead as Graeme Souness's side eased their relegation worries, and continued Saints' patchy Spring-time form.

Southampton were undone by two clinical finishes inside a couple of first half minutes.

First Damien Duff cut in from the left flank after 26 minutes, held off the challenge of Paul Telfer, and rifled a low shot past Paul Jones's left hand into the bottom corner of the net.

And Saints barely had time to draw breath when Matt Jansen muscled his way past a couple of Saints defenders, found Duff on the touchline and the Republic of Ireland's sweet cross was headed home by Yordi from six yards.

The Spanish striker, who had eight stitches in his head following Rovers' 2-1 defeat at Leicester on Saturday, was brave enough to ride Paul Williams' challenge and find the target.

Manager Gordon Strachan had changed his team from the one which shared a 1-1 draw with Fulham 48 hours earlier, dropping Marian Pahars and Anders Svensson, choosing to pair Kevin Davies and Brett Ormerod up front on their homecoming to Blackburn, with Fabrice Fernandes stuck out wide on the left.

But this was a game where Saints lacked bite, created little and were undone by opponents who seemed to have the greater desire.

Davies, who was signed by Rovers for £7.5m from Southampton in June 1998, managing just two goals in 29 appearances before returning to the south coast a season later, was given a hard time by the Lancastrians with chants of "what a waste of money".

And the 25-year-old striker was left holding his head in his hands just a minute before Blackburn's opener when he was superbly put through by Rory Delap to go one-on-one with goalkeeper Brad Friedel but just tripped over the ball and the chance went begging.

Had that effort gone in, it could have been the story and headlines would have all been about King Kev's glorious return - but it was not to be.

The first half was all Blackburn, though. They were hungrier and more determined, and using Duff down the left and Keith Gillespie on the right, they tore Saints' defence to shreds.

Saints looked so vulnerable to crosses being put in the area, and a couple of times the ball squirmed through a sea of players inside the six-yard box requiring just the most delicate of touches to punish the visitors.

It was all Blackburn. David Dunn was too quick for Rory Delap after six minutes with a clever flick inside the Saints midfielder and he let fly from the edge of the Saints area, but was wide.

Jones got down well to deny Duff with a low drive at the near post after 14 minutes, and then Wayne Bridge was in the right place at the right time ten minutes later when Matt Jansen turned neatly six yards out and his shot was cleared off the line.

For Saints, first-half chances were at a premium. Fernandes's confidence was threadbare, and he offered little on the flank.

He should have done better after ten minutes, collecting a poor Brad Friedel clearance and roaming free into the penalty area.

Instead of shooting, the Frenchman squared the ball to Davies, but Henning Berg cleared.

From Rory Delap's long throw, the ball was cleared to Paul Telfer on the edge of the area and he fired just over. Ormerod, with a flying near post header from Jason Dodd's cross, and then Fernandes and Telfer from range, shied at goal. They counted as Saints' best chances but Friedel didn't break sweat.

The second half was the same old story. Gillespie skipped around Bridge's half-hearted challenge after 54 minutes, crossed low to Yordi who was challenged by Jones and the effort was snuffed out.

Saints were lucky when referee Clive Wilkes failed to play the advantage three minutes later, when Jansen had his shirt tugged by Jason Dodd, who was yellow-carded for the foul.

Jansen squirmed free and was about to put in the unmarked Yordi who was clear through on goal some 40 yards out when Wilkes whistled.

Gordon Strachan had suffered enough by the 58th minute, taking off Davies and Fernandes, throwing on Jo Tessem and Marian Pahars in their place.

Tessem's impact was immediate. He crossed low into the box towards Ormerod, who stuck out a toe under pressure from Stig Inge Bjornebye and his effort flashed across the goal. Delap later fired one into the advertising hoardings behind Friedel's goal, but the American spent most of the match on ball-watching duty.

Jansen was a handful for Saints' defence with his strong running and incredible work rate. He destroyed Claus Lundekvam after 69 minutes with a crisp turn, but Jones was equal to the Blackburn striker's low drive with a stinging save.

And then Jones needed to use his feet to keep out a swirling effort from substitute Garry Flitcroft five minutes later.

As the game wore on, Blackburn sat back, happy with the three points and determined not to allow Saints back in. Strachan's men plugged away with Tessem and Pahars working hard, and Oakley industriously trying to pull the strings in midfield with a busy performance, but it all came to nothing.