It took one old friend to outdo another for Glenn Hoddle at The Dell as Dan Petrescu's goal on his full debut for Southampton helped leave Peter Taylor feeling flat.

The Romanian international, first signed by Hoddle in his days at Chelsea, glanced in a late header to settle a dour match and provide the Saints boss with some cheer on his first anniversary in charge on the south coast.

If teams are meant to play in their manager's image both sides neglected the theory in a dour encounter.

Hoddle, the most graceful of midfielders with Spurs, and former England winger Taylor remain close friends but this old pals act offered little to warm the 15,000 crowd.

The two men, international coaches past and present, saw little evidence of their own artistry.

Hoddle, the man who gave Taylor the opportunity to enter the England set-up as Under-21 boss, would have been relieved, however, at Southampton's first Premiership win of 2001 no matter its origins.

Taylor, part of Sven-Goran Eriksson's current set-up, handed a debut to 6ft 5in midfielder Junior Lewis, a player under his charge at Dover and Gillingham, having snapped the 27-year-old up on a three-month loan.

Eleven-goal James Beattie provided an explosive start to the match, collecting the ball 10 yards inside the City half and outstripping Matt Elliott only for a deflection to carry his pull-back harmlessly into the arms of Simon Royce.

Beattie proved a handful for Elliott and Co and Royce was forced to tip over a looping 13th-minute header from a Petrescu centre.

Dean Richards' forehead then powered Marian Pahars' resultant corner over the bar.

Lewis, in a holding role in front of Leicester's back three, mopped up and tidied anything loose the Southampton forwards offered as the visitors stifled Hoddle's side's usual fluency on their own patch.

At the other end, Italian veteran Roberto Mancini and top scorer Ade Akinbiyi were virtually devoid of service.

Beattie's strike partner, Kevin Davies, often crowded out by the massed ranks of the Leicester rearguard, fashioned a chance for himself in the 28th minute but after cutting in from the left his effort lacked the pace to trouble Royce.

Left-back Wayne Bridge's whipped cross provided another opportunity moments later but Petrescu failed to connect at the foot of the post after Richards nodded back across goal.

It took the Foxes all of 35 minutes to carve out an attempt at goal, and when it arrived Paul Jones extended himself to turn Muzzy Izzet's glancing header around the post.

Taylor's side showed more urgency on the resumption and Mancini was kept out, first by the sprawling Jones, then Beattie on the line from the rebound.

But the end product was not matching their industry and for all the extra huff and puff, Jones remained largely unemployed.

In truth, Southampton failed to break down a resolute defence at the other end.

The league form of both clubs has dipped in recent weeks, with both appearing distracted by their FA Cup exploits that have the pair safely into round five.

Mancini, 36, was replaced just after the hour by another recent signing Dean Sturridge.

Just as it seemed the dour match was heading for a goalless stalemate, Southampton broke the shackles 11 minutes from the end.

Bridge swung in a deep cross from the right and Petrescu, one of the smallest men on the field, stole in to glance a header past Royce.

Teams:

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Lundekvam (El Khalej 76), Richards, Bridge, Petrescu (Kachloul 84), Oakley, Marsden, Pahars, Beattie, Davies (Tessem 45).

Subs Not Used: Moss, Draper.

Goals: Petrescu 79.

Leicester: Royce, Rowett, Elliott, Lewis, Davidson, Robbie Savage, Impey, Izzet, Guppy, Akinbiyi (Gunnlaugsson 87), Mancini (Sturridge 64).

Subs Not Used: Price, Sinclair, Eadie.

Booked: Guppy, Elliott, Izzet.

Att: 14,909

Ref: S Bennett (Orpington).