Bradford have one leg dangling through the relegation trapdoor after two goals in three second-half minutes sent them crashing at The Dell.

Marian Pahars and James Beattie scored the goals which gave Saints their seventh win in their last eight home matches, and the only surprise was that we had to wait almost an hour for the opener to arrive.

The statistics weighed heavily against the Bantams going into this game. Glenn Hoddle's men had not conceded a goal in their previous five matches, while Jim Jefferies' boys had not scored for four games.

Southampton - now unbeaten at The Dell since November 25 - dominated the first half without managing to get a single shot on target.

That was credit to Bradford's dogged defending, and they in fact had the first half's only effort on target, when Paul Jones saved well to keep out a Dean Windass header.

It was a similar story after the break until the game was sealed with two quick strikes.

After 59 minutes Jo Tessem broke down the right and delivered a curling cross into the box. Pahars was unmarked and sent a powerful header back across Gary Walsh and into the far corner for his first goal since September.

Three minutes later, Dan Petrescu - signed from Bradford - found space on the left and sent in a low cross which Beattie turned home at the near post for his 12th goal of the season.

Driving rain on the south coast meant a slippery pitch at The Dell, but Hoddle's men were knocking the ball around confidently against the Premiership's bottom club.

Saints won a free-kick on the right flank after 10 minutes when Peter Beagrie fouled Petrescu, but when the ball was driven into the box referee Graham Poll penalised Tessem for a push at the far post.

Two minutes later Claus Lundekvam joined the attack and send a 25-yard shot skidding wide of the far post.

Southampton were entitled to look the fresher team, as the postponement of last Sunday's game at Newcastle had given them a 10-day break.

Dean Richards made a powerful surge out of defence after 19 minutes before Beattie took over and fed Pahars.

Saints' Latvian striker at first didn't see the pass, and it hit him on the back of the legs in rather comical fashion. But when he did pick it up he cut inside before trying a 20-yard effort which was blocked by Robert Molenaar.

Windass showed his danger after 22 minutes when his powerful header from an Eoin Jess free-kick into the box forced a good save from Jones.

A swift break by the home side saw Beattie sweep the ball into the path of Tessem on the right, but his cross aimed at Pahars was well cut out by Andy Myers.

Saints were slowly getting on top and Beattie was on the end of a Tessem cross after 25 minutes but lost his footing at the crucial shooting stage.

All the trouble was coming down the Bradford left and when Lundekvam delivered a great cross into the box two minutes later, Pahars looked set to score at the far post, only to be denied by a good block from Andy O'Brien.

But Southampton showed they could build down their left flank too, and Bridge made the Bantams defence work hard to deal with successive crosses a minute later.

Pahars tried to find space for a shot after 32 minutes when he cut inside two defenders from the left, but he screwed his effort wide.

The home fans were becoming impatient as they expected their team to turn their dominance into goals against the struggling Yorkshiremen.

Southampton forced successive corners after 39 minutes, but Bradford goalkeeper Walsh made clean catch for the second one to halt the pressure.

A rare Bradford break down the left after 43 minutes saw Beagrie send over a teasing cross, and Windass was disappointed with himself for failing to connect with the header.

There was some early defending for Saints as Bradford worked the ball forward from the re-start.

Beagrie crossed from the left and Beattie headed clear from just in front of his own goalkeeper.

That was an early wake-up call for Hoddle's men and they started to build their own attacks, but the visiting defence managed to block everything which came their way.

The frustration of the home fans was increased after 50 minutes when Pahars wasted a free-kick on the right, level with the six-yard box. His low cross was straight at a Bradford defender who hooked the ball clear.

Southampton's first shot on target came after 56 minutes. Pahars picked out Petrescu with a deep cross to the right edge of the box, but the former Bradford man hit his effort straight at Walsh.

A flowing move then saw Beattie find Pahars in the box with a cross from the right, but he had strayed offside as he volleyed wide.

Hoddle felt it was time for a change and after 59 minutes he brought on Mark Draper for Chris Marsden.

That was the signal for Southampton to shatter City with two goals in three minutes - although the substitute played no part.

In between the goals, Matthew Oakley let fly from 30 yards and Walsh dived superbly to push the ball round a post.

But the double strike from Southampton signalled the end of Bradford's resistance and it might have been worse had Walsh not saved well from Beattie after 70 minutes.

Bradford's frustration boiled over in the closing stages and Windass was booked for a late challenge on Lundekvam after 85 minutes, sealing a miserable afternoon for the northerners.

Teams:

Southampton: Jones, Petrescu (Bleidelis 84), Lundekvam, Richards, Dodd (El Khalej 80), Pahars, Marsden (Draper 59), Oakley, Tessem, Bridge, Beattie.

Subs Not Used: Moss, Rosler.

Goals: Pahars 60, Beattie 63.

Bradford: Walsh, O'Brien, Molenaar, Myers, Locke, McCall (Ward 84), McKinlay, Beagrie (Blake 79), Saunders (Hopkin 73), Windass, Jess.

Subs Not Used: Davison, Atherton.

Booked: Windass.

Att: 14,651

Ref: G Poll (Tring).