Everton finally nailed their away-day jinx at Southampton tonight, with a battling 1-0 success leapfrogging their St Mary's Stadium hosts.

The Toffees - the Premiership's joint-worst team on the road, along with rock-bottom Leicester - were jubilant at their third away league win of the season, while the Saints were booed off.

Full-back Steve Watson's 40th-minute dinked finish, after a threaded Kevin Campbell through-ball, livened up this dull end-of-season mid-table squabble.

Armchair fans forking out to watch this pay-per-view fixture will wish they had saved their cash - as the contest never really clicked into gear, with players on both sides performing as if they had one eye on impending summer holidays.

Before Watson's tidy goal, Saints goalkeeper Paul Jones did well to block a strike by Nick Chadwick, who was later stretchered off with a twisted left ankle.

After the break, Jones kept his side in it with two spectacular saves - one from Tomasz Radzinski's volley and then other from Watson's deflected cross.

Southampton offered little going forward - and their fans' frustration was increased by a raft of decisions against the home side by referee Mark Halsey.

Everton's ex-skipper Campbell made his first start of the David Moyes reign, following the ankle injury which had limited him to two substitute appearances. He came in for the banned Duncan Ferguson.

For the Saints, centre-back Claus Lundekvam returned after a two-match absence with a thigh injury and replaced Tahar El Khalej, who dropped down to the bench.

Gordon Strachan's men started brightly on a sunny spring evening on the south coast, with Rory Delap sending a diagonal drive skidding wide.

Three early injuries disrupted the game, with a nasty clash of heads between Jo Tessem and Watson resulting in treatment for both. Campbell then needed the magic sponge after a bad late tackle by Rory Delap, which earned him the first yellow card.

Toffees frontman Chadwick was the visitors' biggest threat, but after forcing home goalkeeper Paul Jones to make a great block, he twisted his left ankle when challenging the keeper in the 24th minute and was replaced by Tomasz Radzinski.

Southampton's best chance of this average match arrived just after the half-hour, when Beattie outjumped Toffees centre-half Alan Stubbs and headed towards Pahars, just six yards from goal. The Latvian attempted to poke the ball beyond Gerrard, but the keeper parried and his defence scrambled clear.

However, it was eccentric Saints boss Strachan who provided some of the best entertainment of the evening, with his furious response to an offside decision by linesman Darren Drysdale.

The Scot raced half-way down the touchline to confront him - and then vented his fury on referee Halsey, as fourth official Dermot Gallagher failed to calm him down.

And Watson did nothing to lighten the Strachan's mood when his clever finish gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute. He raced onto a Campbell through-ball and dinked it over the onrushing Jones, 16 yards from goal.

In the 54th minute, Radzinski brought a stunning save from Jones with a fierce 14-yard strike.

Southampton were creating little as the clock ticked past the hour mark - so Strachan made a very attacking substitution, hauling off right-back Jason Dodd and throwing on pacey forward Brett Ormerod.

Ref Halsey did little to endear himself to the south coast natives when Pistone appeared to clatter into Pahars - right on the edge of the area - and 28,000 home fans bayed for a penalty. Halsey disagreed and promptly booked Pahars for diving, much to the annoyance of the Saints supporters.

Southampton keeper Jones kept his side in the match with a dozen minutes left, making a fine reaction save after Watson's pull-back deflected off Lundevkam and span goalwards.

Gravesen bundled the ball through to Campbell as time ran out - but his progress was halted by an offside flag. David Unsworth went closer with a brilliant free-kick, which Jones tipped over his crossbar.

Teams

Southampton: Jones, Dodd (Ormerod 67), Bridge, Lundekvam, Williams, Tessem (Fernandes 45), Telfer, Svensson, Delap, Beattie, Pahars.

Subs Not Used: Moss, El Khalej, Bleidelis.

Booked: Delap, Pahars.

Everton: Gerrard, Watson, Weir, Stubbs, Pistone, Carsley, Gravesen, Gemmill, Unsworth, Campbell, Chadwick (Radzinski 27).

Subs Not Used: Pettinger, Pembridge, Rooney, Linderoth.

Goals: Watson 41.

Att: 31,785

Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).