SAINTS were unable to mark their Premier League return to St Mary's with a positive result as they were beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest.

Midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White scored the only goal of the clash with a rebound inside the box during the second half of a tense affair.

Saints got no closer to scoring than a few flashes of goal as Forest keeper Matz Sels went largely untested in front of a sold-out St Mary's.

Manager Russell Martin named an unchanged team to the Saints that started their 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United on the season's opening day.

That meant a five-at-the-back with Kyle Walker-Peters playing a free role all over the pitch in possession, not just operating as a wing-back.

Adam Armstrong and Ben Brereton Diaz were high and wide with the midfielders tasked to break through the middle of the Forest defence.

The visitors had summer signing Nikola Milenkovic making a first start in defence, while Elliot Anderson replaced the injured Danilo.

Saints were limited to very little in front of their home supporters, despite a rousing pre-match display in the new home-only Northam end.

Referee Sam Barrott, after a blunder in his first Premier League match between Crystal Palace and West Ham last season, ordered regular stoppages to play.

Armstrong, Flynn Downes and Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo all went into Barrott's book during a slow first half.

Alex McCarthy gathered some simple shots and was nearly caught out by a Taylor Harwood-Bellis backpass - which rolled nervously out for a corner. 

It was Milenkovic who missed the biggest chance of the half when he prodded wide after the ball was fired at him in the six-yard box. 

Walker-Peters had a penalty shout late in the half when he felt he was tripped under pressure but the referee waved the game on for a Forest counter.

Captain Jack Stephens then cut out an Anthony Elanga ball across the box within minutes of the restart, as Martin sent out his men unchanged.

Saints asserted themselves from there and Walker-Peters had two efforts blocked, but it counted for nothing when Forest grabbed the opener.

In the 71st minute, Gibbs-White powered into the net after his initial header was cleared back to him and out of the grasp of McCarthy by Sugawara.

Aribo was caught trying to drive out of the Saints box - he felt he was fouled but nothing was given - and Callum Hudson-Odoi crossed into Gibbs-White.

McCarthy produced another save to deny Elanga Forest's second after Martin had opted to make two changes to the starting team.

Saints had made all five of their changes by the 83rd minute, including a Saints debut for new signing Mateus Fernandes - a 20 year old Portuguese midfielder. 

Another new signing in Charlie Taylor crossed brilliantly for Cameron Archer but the substitute couldn't get a touch to turn it behind.

Everyone inside St Mary's was sent into utter frenzy when, approaching six minutes of added time, referee Barrott brought a Saints attack to a half for a Forest defender with cramp.

It was not the reason Saints lost - despite energy added by academy graduate Tyler Dibling, their hopes were ended as a deep cross from Sam Edozie went without attack.

Saints: McCarthy; Sugawara (Edozie, 71), Harwood-Bellis (Taylor, 76), Bednarek, Stephens, Walker-Peters; Downes, Smallbone (Dibling, 83), Aribo (Fernandes, 76); Armstrong (Archer, 71), Brereton Diaz. 

Unused subs: Lumley, Bree, Ugochukwu, Amo-Ameyaw.

Booked: Armstrong, Downes, Bednarek.

Forest: Sels; Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina; Anderson (Dominguez, 76), Sangare (Yates, 66), Gibbs-White (Jota, 90), Hudson-Odoi (Boly, 90), Elanga; Wood (Awoniyi, 76).

Unused subs: Miguel, Omobamidele, Toffolo. 

Booked: Espirito Santo, Sangare, Dominguez.

Referee: Sam Barrot.

VAR: Graham Scott.