SAINTS delivered the perfect response to their unbeaten run ending with a 2-0 victory at fifth-placed West Brom. 

Russell Martin had less than 72 hours to prepare for the visit to The Hawthorns following Tuesday night's 3-1 defeat at Bristol City.

West Brom boss Carlos Corberan got himself bizarrely sent off in the first six minutes and Ryan Fraser compounded that pain with an opening goal soon after.

The Baggies had their chances to level - with most coming in a spell before half-time - but substitute David Brooks notched his first Saints goal. 

Martin made four changes to his side that tasted defeat for the first time in 26 outings at Bristol City. 

Skipper Jack Stephens came in on the left of a four-man defence, which built up in possession as a back three with Kyle Walker-Peters advanced. 

Stuart Armstrong returned to the team while Sekou Mara and Ryan Fraser also made starts - and Shea Charles kept his place despite his half-time hooking at Ashton Gate. 

West Brom had conceded only one goal in their five successive home wins in the Championship and would prove to be tough opposition.

However, their night was not made any easier by Corberan's sending off - for which he did not protest - just six minutes in.

The Spaniard put a foot on the ball while play was live and referee Sam Allison was forced to show him the red card. 

Both sides missed chances to go ahead owing to stray passes out the back from the respective goalkeepers before the first blow was struck. 

Fraser then made the hosts pay as he volleyed in a terrific deep cross from S Armstrong after Charles had played short from a corner kick. 

Saints then looked comfortable for almost the rest of the half - but they were lucky to enter the break ahead. 

Stephens had to block one off the line expertly having been the subject of a strong penalty shout for a potential handball the previous action. 

The two sides emerged from the break unchanged but it was only after Martin made some of his substitutions did the leaders reestablished a grip.

West Brom had threatened without coming close and were punished by Brooks for his first Saints goal, five minutes after he had gotten off the bench. 

In the 73rd minute, the Welshman powered past his man inside the box and finished low to conclude a slick passage of play with S Armstrong and assister Edozie. 

Bazunu was forced into a flying one-handed save from a header on Okay Yokuslu right after, to make some of the Baggies fans already heading for the exit reconsider. 

Southampton's travelling supporters, of which there were just under 2,000, sang 'just the one undefeated' as their team popped the ball around in the closing stages. 

West Brom: Palmer; Furlong, Townsend, Kipre, Wallace (Diangana, 65), Pieters, Swift (Marshall, 65), Thomas-Asante (Fellows, h-t), Johnston (Reach, 65), Mowatt, Yokuslu (Chalobah, 81).

Unused subs: Griffiths, Ajayi, Weimann, Pipa. 

Booked: Yokuslu, Thomas-Asante.

Sent off: Corberan.

Saints: Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Charles (Aribo, 57), Smallbone, S Armstrong (Rothwell, 81); A Armstrong (Brooks, 68), Fraser (Edozie, 57), Mara (Kamaldeen, 81). 

Unused subs: Lumley, Manning, Dibling, Amo-Ameyaw.

Booked: Smallbone.

Referee: Sam Allison.