Southampton put a five-match winless streak behind them as they ran out comfortable 3-0 winners against a frail-looking Sheffield Wednesday side.

Danny Higginbotham drove home his third goal of the season with a free- kick after 32 minutes to give his side a deserved 1-0 lead, before Grzegorz Rasiak and Kenwyne Jones added further goals in the second half.

The result leaves Wednesday perilously close to the relegation zone and without a win in four games.

Chris Brunt wasted the chance to give the Owls an early lead when his free-kick was directed straight at Higginbotham, who duly cleared.

A sweeping move by the Saints took play back to the opposite end of the field and Jim Brennan's first-time cross from the left found the head of Rasiak, who had risen above the defence but he blazed his header over the crossbar.

Wednesday's bright start continued and Burton O'Brien fired in a shot which rebounded, allowing Marcus Tudgay to try his luck from the edge of the penalty area, only to see the ball drift wide.

Southampton's chances were few and far between in the opening 20 minutes and when Higginbotham headed a Jermaine Wright corner over the bar after 18 minutes, Wednesday were on top.

But Saints then came to life as Matt Oakley and Jones began to link midfield to attack and with half an hour on the clock, the visitors were seeing more of the ball.

Alexander Ostlund found enough space to drive a shot towards goal from 30 yards but Glenn Whelan was there to block, shortly before Rasiak had an effort cleared by Graham Coughlan.

Moments later, however, Saints were ahead as Rasiak went down under a challenge from Collins and Higginbotham struck the free-kick low and hard from 25 yards, into the bottom right corner of the net, which had been left exposed by the Wednesday wall.

Having gone in 1-0 down at half-time, Wednesday found themselves with a mountain to climb after the break when Rasiak netted from 12 yards.

The Poland international's right-footed finish was less than convincing after he latched onto Wright's pass but it beat Adamson and Saints were cruising.

The Owls were carved apart time and time again as the second half went on and the game was put beyond Wednesday's reach when a cross from Andrew Surman found its way into a crowded box, where Jones was on hand to compound his former side's misery with a neat headed finish.

Paul Sturrock's side showed few signs of coming back into the game and continued to allow Southampton easy passage through their lightweight defence.

The introduction of the lively Sean McAllister gave the Owls a boost but Paul Smith was rarely troubled in the Southampton goal as Deon Burton wasted a host of chances and the points stayed on the south coast.

Teams

Southampton Smith, Ostlund, Lundekvam, Higginbotham, Brennan,Oakley (Dyer 85), Wright, Chaplow, Surman,Rasiak (Blackstock 85), Jones.

Subs Not Used: Madsen, Powell, Miller.

Booked: Rasiak.

Goals: Higginbotham 34, Rasiak 49, Jones 55.

Sheff Wed Adamson, Simek, Coughlan, Collins, Bullen, Brunt,O'Brien (Corr 74), Whelan, Partridge (Burton 56),MacLean (McAllister 56), Tudgay.

Subs Not Used: Kirby, Spurr.

Booked: Brunt.

Att: 26,236

Ref: M Thorpe (Suffolk).