James Beattie's spectacular 19th goal of the season - 18 of them in the Barclaycard Premiership - knocked another nail in West Brom's relegation coffin, but the derisory chants of the travelling fans said it all for the gallant Baggies.

"One nil to the referee," they sang in their misery at the end at St Mary's, which was a bit of a snub to hot-shot Beattie's blistering 30-yard shot after just eight minutes.

But Albion were convinced the ball had gone out of play before being set up for the new England striker to volley with awesome power - just as they were convinced Lee Hughes was pushed over for a penalty 18 minutes from the end.

Yet again referee Dermot Gallagher denied them their perceived measure of justice.

And when Danny Dichio's stoppage time shot hit team-mate Scott Dobie on the backside instead of hitting the net, Albion's fourth consecutive defeat was confirmed.

Southampton needed the result to end their own run of three consecutive league setbacks. And when you have a lethal striker like Beattie, you always have chances.

Not so with Albion's Hughes. The striker has yet to score in the Premiership since rejoining the Baggies from Coventry at the start of the season.

How you felt for his anguish and misfortune on the south coast where he ran his heart out again without reward.

Fabrice Fernandes forced Larus Sigurdsson to concede a corner from a spearing free-kick in Saints' first attack, but when the set-piece was cleared, Jason Koumas led a sparkling Albion counter attack.

His penetrating run ended with a neat pass that Hughes drove low at goal from 20 yards and only just wide.

Saints' James Beattie - who has no trouble at all hitting the target - went even closer in the sixth minute.

Anders Svensson's corner was flicked at the near post by Claus Lundekvam's header and Beattie, arriving late at the far side, put his own header into the side-netting from a tight angle.

Within two minutes Beattie had bagged the ultimate decider with a stunning drive that simply flew past Russell Hoult after Brett Ormerod knocked down a right wing cross.

Albion complained bitterly that the ball had gone out of play on the touchline before Paul Telfer whipped it over. Defenders remonstrated with a linesman but referee Gallagher was unmoved.

Gallagher missed Hoult's flying finger-tip touch - awarding a goal-kick - which put Matt Oakley's 30-yard effort behind when it looked for all the world like doubling Saints' lead with a near-identical strike to the earlier one by Beattie.

He also looked to have got it wrong when booking Wayne Bridge, back in Saints defence after six weeks out, for allegedly tripping Hughes.

And from the free-kick Koumas was only just off the mark with a lovely curler.

But nobody with half an eye could fail to appreciate Southampton's superiority in the first half - a class above despite Albion's desperate, battling efforts.

Defender Lundekvam discovered the goal at his mercy 10 yards out when Ronnie Wallwork's attempted clearance bounced to him off Beattie.

The Norwegian has never scored for Southampton and you could see why as the ball bobbled off his lanky frame and away.

And Ormerod, who has not scored since October, gave a few clues to his own drought when he scuffed Beattie's deflected pass wide from close in.

Ormerod also forced a fine save from Hoult with a blockbusting angled drive in stoppage time before the interval.

Albion's win-or-bust desperation was clear in the second half substitution of striker Dobie for centre back Wallwork, and later Brazilian forward Jordao for skipper Derek McInnes.

But Gallagher ignored their claims when Hughes went down from what looked like a push by Lundekvam, eight yards from goal, in the 72nd minute minute.

Seven minutes earlier Beattie could have made it all academic but saw his shot charged down by Darren Moore after Albion's Phil Gilchrist inexplicable sliced a clearance straight to him in front of goal.

Teams

Southampton: Niemi, Telfer, Michael Svensson, Lundekvam, Bridge, Fernandes (Higginbotham 90), Oakley, Anders Svensson (Prutton 28), Marsden, Beattie, Ormerod (Tessem 76).

Subs Not Used: Jones, Dodd.

Booked: Bridge, Oakley.

Goals: Beattie 8.

West Brom: Hoult, Sigurdsson, Gregan, Moore, Gilchrist, Udeze (Clement 25), Wallwork (Dobie 46), McInnes (Jordao 77), Koumas, Hughes, Dichio.

Subs Not Used: Murphy, Adam Chambers.

Booked: Gregan, Dichio.

Att: 31,915

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).