SUPER substitute Joe Rothwell came to Southampton's rescue with two quickfire goals in a 4-2 win against Sunderland at St Mary's.

Stuart Armstrong and Adam Armstrong strikes had Saints in total control at the break before the Black Cats responded with a roar. 

Romaine Mundle and Jobe Bellingham stunned Russell Martin's side, who lost grip on proceedings after two early changes.

The boss called for Rothwell and the loanee answered, drilling in twice from inside the box to secure a massive three points. 

Martin labelled the 5-0 defeat in the reverse fixture at Stadium of Light as the group's worst moment together this season. 

Thanks to a full week without a fixture due to Wednesday's fire, Martin was able to name an unchanged team from their 4-3 win at Birmingham.

Saints confirmed the match would go ahead despite nearby damage in the blaze meaning St Mary's was closed on Thursday. 

They will have to rearrange the Preston North End fixture, which was postponed just hours ahead of kick-off due to the fire. 

The stadium DJ took full advantage playing the likes of 'Relight My Fire' by Take That and Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start The Fire' ahead of kick-off and during the interval.

Saints faced a Sunderland side without a win in six away from home and missing top scorer Jack Clarke through injury. 

The visitors looked doomed to go without a victory again as S Armstrong opened the scoring inside the first 10 minutes. 

David Brooks lofted in a short free-kick and Jan Bednarek's initial header was saved into the Scotland internationals path. 

Sunderland's Mason Burstow issued a warning shot as his effort from a narrow angle spun off the post but Martin's side took heed. 

Ryan Manning won a penalty as he was fouled performing a clever flick and A Armstrong stepped up to power over Anthony Patterson. 

While the Geordie celebrated in front of the Mackem crowd, Sunderland's players complained about a potential second touch from Armstrong while shooting the spot-kick. 

The referee took no notice, though, and Saints went into half-time with a two-goal lead and on course to avenge their 5-0 defeat.

Martin made two changes early in the half, withdrawing Brooks and Will Smallbone - who was given a standing ovation. 

Saints seemed to lose some of the control they had and when substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana was tackled in his own half, Mundle fired in off Jack Stephens and the post. 

Nazariy Rusyn had a duo of chances to make it level despite Southampton's early domination, slipping on one inside the box.

Bellingham then restored parity with a fierce, unsavable strike from range that brother and Real Madrid star Jude would have been proud of. 

However, substitute Rothwell was the hero of St Mary's again with a Huddersfield-like double-salvo on the 77th and 80th minutes.

It was balls in from A Armstrong on the right that found their way to Rothwell's path in the box on both occasions for first-time finishes.

The AFC Bournemouth man was more involved with the second, driving from the halfway line before releasing A Armstrong despite the crowd urging him to shoot.

Kamaldeen kept going in search of his first goal in seven minutes of added time but found no reward for the terror he caused the away defence. 

Saints: Bazunu; Harwood-Bellis, Stephens (Bree, 73), Bednarek, Manning; Downes, Smallbone (Aribo, 57), S Armstrong (Rothwell, 73); Brooks (Kamaldeen, 57), A Armstrong, Adams (Mara, 84). 

Unused subs: Lumley, Charles, Dibling, Edozie.

Booked: Aribo.

Sunderland: Patterson; Ballard (Styles, 71), Bellingham, Burstow (Aouchiche, 56), Mundle (Ekwah, 88), Ba, Seelt, Neil, Rigg (Rusyn, 56), Hume, Hjelde.

Unused subs: Bishop, Pembele, Semedo, Lavery, Jones.

Booked: Seelt, Ballard, Hjelde. 

Referee: Stuart Attwell.