Two first-half goals from striker Grzegorz Rasiak were enough to give Southampton victory at Stoke.

The Tottenham striker, who will join on a permanent basis in the summer, earned the penalty he dispatched to open the scoring with 23 minutes gone and added a second with a neat finish seven minutes later.

It was a dreadful second half until Paul Gallagher's rifled shot gave City some hope with eight minutes left, but they could not find an equaliser and lost for the first time in six matches, while the Saints recorded a third straight win.

Despite neither team having much left to play for, it was a bright opening which the visitors had the better of.

With two minutes gone, a Southampton corner was only half cleared and flicked on by Rasiak only for Potters defender Andy Wilkinson to head clear with Claus Lundekvam ready to pounce.

Ricardo Fuller had an effort saved by Steve Simonsen but the Saints continued to look neat in midfield.

The Saints made the breakthrough in the 24th minute when Michael Duberry found himself on the wrong side of Rasiak, who collected Djamel Belmad's pass and glided past Marlon Broomes only to be clipped by the City defender.

The impressive Pole got up to comfortably stroke the penalty past Simonsen despite the goalkeeper diving the right way.

Seven minutes later, Rasiak added a second with a classy half-volley as he held off Broomes to blast home Wright's free-kick.

The Saints still offered a threat on the break against a Stoke team which did not have a single chance on goal in the opening 45 minutes, while at the other end, Simonsen was at full-stretch to push away a block from his own defender Carl Hoefkens.

It took some time for the second half to get going but on the hour Jim Brennan stabbed wide after a 70-yard run.

Following a loose pass from Stoke midfielder Darel Russell, Chris Baird broke forward and fired narrowly wide from more than 25 yards.

The visitors continued to dominate and substitute Nathan Dyer forced a decent low stop from Simonsen after racing on to Fuller's glancing header.

With 10 minutes left Dave Brammer finally had a shot but it failed to trouble Kevin Miller in the Saints goal.

The Potters' first effort on target saw Gallagher power his strike into the top corner for his 11th of the season.

Teams

Stoke Simonsen, Hoefkens, Duberry, Broomes,Wilkinson (Dickinson 45), Russell (Rooney 81), Brammer, Mbuyi,Chadwick (Sweeney 22), Bangoura, Gallagher.

Subs Not Used: Henry, de Goey.

Booked: Gallagher.

Goals: Gallagher 83.

Southampton Miller, Potter, Lundekvam, Powell, Brennan,Wright, Chaplow (Ostlund 45), Baird, Belmadi (Dyer 45), Rasiak,Fuller.

Subs Not Used: Smith, Jones, McGoldrick.

Booked: Wright.

Goals: Rasiak 24 pen, 31.

Att: 16,501

Ref: J P Robinson (E Yorkshire).