Southampton 4-0 Blackburn Rovers: Samuel Edozie on target again as Saints beat 10-man Rovers
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Samuel Edozie scored his second goal in two games as Southampton beat Blackburn
Samuel Edozie scored his second goal in as many games to help give Southampton a resounding win over 10-man Blackburn in the first league meeting between the two clubs in 18 years.
Edozie, who scored the crucial equaliser in the Saints' 1-1 draw with Coventry on Wednesday, got the final touch from a corner to put his side ahead just before half-time.
Rovers saw Callum Brittain sent off for a wasteful second booking after kicking the ball away in frustration, and gradually Saints made their advantage pay as Stuart Armstrong doubled the lead just after the hour mark.
Sekou Mara and Carlos Alcaraz - the latter also missed a late penalty - wrapped up the win with goals deep in stoppage time, as Southampton moved level on points with third-place Leeds.
The last time Southampton and Blackburn met in the league was April 2005 when the two sides were in the Premier League.
After drawing their previous two games, the need for a win felt crucial for Southampton if they were to keep up the chase on Leicester and Ipswich at the top of the table and challenge for an automatic return to the top flight.
They dominated the opening half but struggled to really challenge the Blackburn defence.
Armstrong bent a curling effort towards goal that went wide, Will Smallbone had a good chance saved by keeper Leo Wahlstedt, while Armstrong felt he deserved a penalty after some man-handling from Hayden Carter in the box.
Saints finally took the lead right before the break through Edozie, who managed to get a crucial touch among a host of bodies in the box to bundle in from close range from a corner.
Blackburn's afternoon got worse when Brittain was shown a red for a second booking of the afternoon and Saints capitalised. Armstrong saw a curling shot saved by Wahlstedt before he burst into the box in space and made it 2-0 with a clinical strike.
While the scoreline suggested a total domination by Southampton, they saw many a chance go begging despite entirely controlling possession and limiting Blackburn to four shots to their 19.
When Mara was brought down by Carter in the area, Alcaraz sent his penalty over the bar, which appeared to sum up their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.
But in added time Southampton's patience eventually paid off. An unmarked Mara was first to slide in at the far post to make it 3-0 and Alcaraz made up for his earlier error by slotting into the corner two minutes later.
Southampton manager Russell Martin told BBC Radio Solent:
"We were so dominant in the first half because of the way the players won the ball back. Some of the play was really amazing to watch.
"We created a lot, should have scored earlier than we did, but won the ball back relentlessly, hunted the ball, Gavin [Bazunu] had one big save to make which was a rebound, difficult surface, I thought he did great with that.
"Even with 11 men I thought we were so in control and looked like scoring again and then they went down to 10 men, but you have to take advantage of that and I'm pleased we did in the end.
"I'm pleased we got the third and fourth goal because 2-0, it seemed way more convincing than that. I'm really proud of the players."
Blackburn manager Jon Dahl Tomasson said:
"It is a disappointing day. It is always going to be a difficult game against a team that is a Premier League squad.
"We knew that but we came with the intention of winning the game. In the first half we were quite solid and gave one chance away but we weren't quite good enough on the ball today and the first goal's timing hurts our game.
"The game totally changed after the red card and being a player behind against a Premier League side is difficult. We were still in the game after the first goal but after the second booking the game is over.
"Callum apologised to his team-mates in the dressing room immediately. A game where we could have got something out of it at 1-0, then suddenly the game is over."