An entertaining game at St Mary's saw the Potters succumb to their first defeat of the season.

Ricardo Fuller gave City the lead but goals from Andrew Surman, Grzegorz Rasiak and Jhon Viafara put the Saints into the driving seat.

Substitute Jon Parkin pulled a late goal back for City but that proved nothing more than a consolation.

Tony Pulis made two changes from the side that beat Charlton last weekend.

Clint Hill returned from suspension, while Andy Wilkinson replaced the injured Stephen Wright.

Danny Higginbotham failed to shrug off injury, meaning loanee Jody Craddock remained at the heart of the defence partnering Ryan Shawcross.

It could have been a disastrous start for the Potters after only one minute.

A mix up in the City 6-yard box saw Shawcross appear to trip Grzegorz Rasiak, but the referee waved play on, much to the anger of the home supporters.

Rasiak tried his luck from range on eight minutes, but his looping effort dipped just over Steve Simonsen's bar.

However the Potters took the lead after just ten minutes with their first meaningful attack of the match.

Mamady Sidibe neatly knocked on a long ball, before Fuller controlled, turned and fired the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Barely two minutes later Southampton could have squared it up, but Rasiak powered his header wide from just four yards out.

Simonsen again had to be alert midway through the first half to parry Rudi Skacel's 20-yard effort around the post.

Bradley Wright-Phillips was next to test the hands of the City number one, after dummying his way through the defence he launched a fierce effort which Simonsen did well to tip over.

The Saints pressure finally paid off just after the half hour, as youngster Andrew Surman fired spectacularly home through a ruck of defenders, and into the bottom corner.

A bursting run from Fuller could have seen City restore their lead immediately, however Jermaine Wright was on hand to clear the ball from the approaching Richard Cresswell.

From the resulting corner Shawcross saw his header agonisingly cleared off the line by Skacel, after leaving Kelvin Davis stranded.

A quick counter attack could have led to the hosts taking the lead, Nathan Dyer burst down the right wing, before squaring to Rasiak, but Wilkinson launched a last ditch tackle to avert the danger.

City keeper Simonsen produced a save low at the near post right on the stroke of half time to ensure it remained level.

Liam Lawrence free-kick could have left Davis red-faced two minutes after the restart, but he reacted in time to parry it over.

Manchester United youngster Shawcross again almost made it 2-1 but Davis again came to the rescue.

From the resulting corner the Saints keeper capped off the third of a tremendous three saves after saving brilliantly from Sidibe.

Polish striker Rasiak almost gave George Burley's side the lead on the hour mark, but Simonsen reacted brilliantly to parry his driven effort on to the post.

The impressive Dyer again danced his way past two City defenders, but found Simonsen in good form as he expertly parried it past the post.

The Saints were pressuring the Potters rearguard, and when Surman centred for Rasiak he made no mistake from powerfully heading the ball beyond Simonsen in to the back of the net.

Two was soon three, as Jhon Viafara picked up a misplaced header and smashed the ball home from ten yards.

Tony Pulis introduced Jon Parkin as a late substitute and he immediately brought the Potters back in to the game.

The big striker rose from 15-yards and expertly powered his header beyond the outstretched Davis in to the left hand corner.

City pressed in the final stages but an equaliser unfortunately never came, despite Fuller attempting a cheeky long range effort which dropped just over the goal.

SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): Davis; Wright, Thomas, Powell, Skacel (Ostlund 46); Dyer, Safri, Viafara, Surman; Rasiak, Wright-Phillips (Saganowski 85). Subs: Bialkowski, Hammill, McGoldrick.