Newcastle's six-match unbeaten run lay in ruins as the Premiership's second bottom club Southampton held on for only their fifth home win of the season.

Newcastle manager Ruud Gullit shook his head in disbelief when referee Graham Poll blew for the final whistle as Southampton made the most of an impressive first-half performance.

All the good work of recent weeks evaporated as Newcastle fell away, gifting Southampton two goals with elementary blunders.

German international Dieter Hamann pulled a goal back with four minutes remaining but it never looked likely to be enough and there was little doubting Southampton deserved their surprise victory.

Alan Shearer, sold by Southampton seven years ago for £3.4m, again failed to beat his old club and he contributed to his team's downfall by missing two early chances.

On each occasion, Southampton goalkeeper Paul Jones made thrilling saves when Shearer found himself unmarked at the far post and he was also booked for a clumsy early challenge on Norwegian defender Claus Lundekvam.

Once Southampton had settled down they went into the lead with the softest of goals after 16 minutes.

Former England defender Steve Howey failed to reach his goalkeeper Shay Given with a backpass allowing big striker James Beattie to intercept before going around the goalkeeper and shooting into an empty net.

Lundekvam was booked for a foul on Hamman after 26 minutes and from the free-kick 25 yards out Peruvian winger Nolberto Solano struck the bar with Jones struggling to get across.

In the 43rd minute, Newcastle were again the architects of their own problems when the harmless centre from Chris Marsden, making an impressive home debut, appeared to elude Egil Ostenstad at the far post.

But referee Poll was perfectly placed to notice that Ostenstad had been pulled back by French left-back Didier Domi and gave a penalty.

Full-back Jason Dodd, taking penalties in place of the injured Matthew Le Tissier, stepped forward to beat Given with a fierce spot-kick to record his first goal of the season.

Howey was lucky to stay on in the last minute before the break when he brought down Beattie when the striker appeared to have a clear run on goal.

Howey was shown a yellow card by referee Poll who also booked Howey's team-mate Gary Speed and Southampton's Hassan Katchloul in the furore which surrounded the foul.

Gullit sent on Robert Lee, who is a transfer target for Southampton, at the start of the second half in place of Solano while Southampton replaced Stuart Ripley with teenage winger Wayne Bridge and Newcastle responded by forcing four corners in the first two minutes.

Newcastle thought they had pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute when Paul Jones failed to hold a centre from Lee and Shearer headed in at the far post. But Southampton were reprieved when the referee indicated that Jones had been fouled by the England captain as they competed for Lee's cross.

Hamman came close in the 82nd minute when his free-kick from 25 yards out was turned over at full stretch by Jones, but it was a rare moment of Newcastle aggression.

Southampton sent on David Hughes in the 84th minute for his first match in 10 months after a catalogue of injuries and he had barely settled when Newcastle did get a goal.

Hamman dived in at the far post to score with a header to set up an exciting last few minutes but Southampton held on for only their fifth win of the season which helped them stay among those teams battling desperately to get away from the Premiership drop.

Teams

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Colleter, Marsden, Monkou, Lundekvam, Ripley (Bridge 46), Oakley, Ostenstad, Beattie (Bradley 75), Kachloul (Hughes 84).

Subs Not Used: Hiley, Moss.

Booked: Lundekvam, Kachloul.

Goals: Beattie 16, Dodd 43 pen.

Newcastle: Given, Charvet, Domi, Howey, Dabizas, Solano (Lee 46), Hamann, Ketsbaia, Shearer, Speed, Brady.

Subs Not Used: Georgiadis, Barton, Hughes, Harper.

Booked: Shearer, Domi, Speed, Howey.

Goals: Hamann 86.

Att: 15,244

Ref: G Poll (Tring).