Darren Byfield’s 100th career goal couldn’t stop Walsall from slipping to a first home league defeat since August, writes Nick Mashiter.

Two quickfire strikes from David Connolly and Dean Hammond midway through the first half put slick Southampton in control.

Rickie Lambert made it 3-0 on 65 minutes before Byfield netted 60 seconds later as the battling Saddlers lost their five game unbeaten league run and a chance to jump into the League One play-off spots.

They named an unchanged line up from Tuesday’s 3-1 win at Yeovil and started brightly.

Byfield’s looping header clipped the post after 10 minutes before Adam Lallana volleyed wide at the far post for the visitors.

The Saints’ centre-back pairing of Chris Perry and Radhi Jaidi – with a combined age of 70 – looked threatened by the pace of the Saddlers but Jaidi made his presence felt in the Walsall box when he forced Clayton Ince to save his 17th minute header.

The Saddlers had taken the game to the Saints but the visitors opened the scoring 31 minutes.

Lloyd James launched a long ball down the right and Connolly outpaced Mark Hughes to bury an unerring shot into the bottom corner.

Walsall almost went 2-0 down as Hughes’ misplaced header was prodded wide by James before the Saints doubled their lead on 38 minutes.

Connolly made space in the area and his shot was deflected into the path of the unmarked Hammond who stroked home from five yards.

The complexion of the game had changed as Southampton took full control.

Home shouts for a penalty were turned down after Hughes fell under Perry’s challenge before Manny Smith blocked Connolly’s shot in first half injury time.

A two goal deficit was harsh on the hosts who needed an early second half strike as Southampton’s double had knocked the stuffing out of them.

Manny Smith headed straight at Bartosz Bialkowski but the Saddlers had lost their spark and on 65 minutes Southampton wrapped the game up as Connolly fed Lambert who found the bottom corner.

A minute later Byfield drilled in from eight yards to give the hosts hope.

Lallana curled wide, Ince saved from Michail Antonio and Jaidi was off target as Southampton went for more goals but had to settle for three.