Southampton grabbed their first win of the George Burley and Sir Clive Woodward era as a Dexter Blackstock double sank lowly Brighton at St Mary's.

An entertaining south coast scuffle between two sides who had both drawn 13 of their previous matches this season was heading towards a somewhat predictable stalemate after Kerry Mayo cancelled out Blackstock's opener.

But Blackstock, only recently recalled from a loan spell at Derby, struck five minutes from time to seal a deserved victory for the hosts.

The hectic Christmas programme had clearly taken its toll on both squads, with Seagulls boss Mark McGhee throwing in 17-year-old defender Joel Lynch for his debut and handing a first league start to goalkeeper Florent Chaigneau, and Burley making six changes to the side beaten by Cardiff.

Teenagers Nathan Dyer and Leon Best were given starts although their more illustrious Academy counterpart, Theo Walcott, was left on the bench.

The numerous changes no doubt contributed to a scrappy opening until, after 10 minutes, Saints took the lead with the first meaningful attack of the game. Martin Cranie strode unchallenged through a deserted Brighton midfield and fed Blackstock, who neatly tucked the ball past the advancing Chaigneau for his second goal in two games.

Brighton looked to hit back immediately, and Mayo's cross just failed to find the head of Mark McCammon before Alexandre Frutos hit a long-range drive straight at Antti Niemi.

And they got their reward in the 21st minute when Frutos scampered down the left and crossed to the feet of Jake Robinson.

The young striker found his path to goal blocked, but he calmly laid the ball back to Mayo who lashed home his first goal of his testimonial season.

Chaigneau was almost left red-faced by a speculative Djamel Belmadi shot which slipped from his grasp, before Tomasz Hajto headed a Nigel Quashie corner over the top.

And the French keeper was a helpless spectator as a Belmadi drive fizzed past him only to cannon off the crossbar shortly before the break.

Saints should have gone back in front when Brett Ormerod, a half-time replacement for Best, reached the byline and pulled the ball back for Blackstock.

But instead of tucking in his second, the young forward opted to let the ball run through his legs to the unsuspecting Belmadi, who scuffed his eventual attempt wide.

And the hosts squandered an even clearer chance on the hour-mark, when Dyer fed the ball through to Ormerod. Perhaps Woodward's influence at the training ground was in evidence as the striker booted his shot high over the bar.

Belmadi was next to have a crack, but his angled drive was tipped over by Chaigneau, before Dyer capped a marauding run with a shot that flew narrowly wide.

Chaigneau's busy debut continued when he touched Belmadi's lob over, but his resistance finally came to an end when Dyer skipped past Lynch and found Blackstock, who gleefully fired home to seal the points.

Teams

Southampton Niemi, Baird, Kenton (Mills 67), Hajto, Cranie (Prutton 64), Dyer, Folly, Quashie, Belmadi, Best (Ormerod 45), Blackstock.

Subs Not Used: Smith, Walcott.

Goals: Blackstock 10, 86.

Brighton Chaigneau, El-Abd, Butters, McShane, Lynch, Carole (Gatting 90), Carpenter, Mayo, Frutos, McCammon, Robinson (Jarrett 79).

Subs Not Used: Kuipers, Cox, Tommy Elphick.

Goals: Mayo 21.

Att: 24,630

Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).