Dave Jones must finally be getting a little sick of Southampton after they dumped his First Division battlers Wolves out of the FA Cup to reach the semi-finals for the first time in 17 years.

The former Saints boss insisted he had no ill feelings towards the Barclaycard Premiership club despite the way he was controversially dismissed as manager just over three years ago - but he could be forgiven for changing his mind after today.

Southampton's first goal was scored against his old club by Chris Marsden - who ironically was signed by Jones when he was in charge at The Dell - and the second was an own goal by stand-in captain Paul Butler.

The focus before this FA Cup quarter-final was firmly on Jones, meeting his former club for the first time since being dismissed in January 2000 when he was facing unfounded allegations of abuse against teenagers during his time as a social worker several years earlier.

Jones was a popular figure during his two-and-a-half-year reign and bounced back at Wolves where he narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premiership last season.

His hopes of Wolves making it three First Division clubs in the semi-finals ended in disappointment, however, as Gordon Strachan's Premiership high-fliers scored the goals which settled a scrappy tie.

Marsden - who made 11 appearances for Wolves - played under Jones at Stockport and jumped at the chance to join him again when his ex-boss signed him from Birmingham.

But the bald midfielder struck first after 56 minutes, and Butler - wearing the armband in placed of the suspended Paul Ince - deflected the ball into his own net with 10 minutes remaining.

Wolves had enjoyed the better of the chances in the first half, and Southampton had to rely on the sharp reflexes of goalkeeper Antti Niemi to keep them on level terms.

Southampton stepped up a gear in the second half and should have taken the lead in the 52nd minute when James Beattie - another player signed by Jones - somehow sent a free header over the bar from six yards.

But Marsden spared Saints' blushes soon afterwards - and Butler's own goal ensured it was a happy day for Strachan's side.

Kenny Miller has scored 18 goals for Wolves so far this season and on eight minutes he had the visitors' first real chance.

Shaun Newton's cross from the right was flicked on by the head of Nathan Blake, and Miller tried an acrobatic scissors kick from seven yards which sent the ball just over the bar.

Wolves again went close on the break after 14 minutes when Blake's shot was charged down to Mark Kennedy, and the Republic of Ireland winger saw his angled drive turned away well by Niemi. The Finn did well again as he got down quickly to his left to gather a shot from Newton.

There was lots of hustle and bustle in testing conditions and a noisy cup tie atmosphere, but not a great deal of finesse. However, Wolves put together another good break after 38 minutes when Colin Cameron burst forward and tried his luck from 25 yards, and Niemi again made an important stop.

Both teams knew that if the winners of this tie could avoid Arsenal or Chelsea in the semi-finals they would be favourites to reach the FA Cup final, and that may have accounted for the nerves shown at times in the first period - although the strong, swirling wind did not help either.

Beattie's miss early in the second half came after Fabrice Fernandes took a short corner and received the return from Anders Svensson. When he crossed to the far post Beattie rose unchallenged but headed over.

It gave Saints the encouragement to step up the pressure, and they won successive corners on the opposite flank after 55 minutes.

From the second of these, the ball dropped for Marsden who had his back to goal. But he managed to send in a speculative overhead kick, and the ball crept inside the near post under the dive of Matt Murray to give Southampton the lead.

Wolves' rotten luck was compounded when Saints sealed their place in the semis courtesy of Butler's own goal.

Substitute Jo Tessem's low cross from the right was helped on by Beattie and went past Murray off the knee of Butler.

That was game over for brave Wolves who must go back to fighting for a place in the First Division promotion play-offs, while Saints will be eagerly awaiting tomorrow's draw in the hope of landing either Sheffield United or Watford in the last four.

Teams

Southampton: Niemi, Dodd, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Bridge, Fernandes, Oakley, Anders Svensson (Tessem 78), Marsden, Ormerod, Beattie (Davies 90).

Subs Not Used: Jones, Williams, Higginbotham.

Booked: Beattie.

Goals: Marsden 56, Butler 81 og.

Wolverhampton: Murray, Irwin, Butler, Lescott, Naylor, Newton (Sturridge 75), Cameron, Andrews (Rae 59), Kennedy, Miller, Blake (Proudlock 86).

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Clyde.

Booked: Blake.

Att: 31,715

Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).