Southampton beat Birmingham City in Tonda Eckert's first Championship game as permanent Saints boss.

Finn Azaz fired the home side ahead in the early stages of the match, finding the bottom corner with a low shot from the edge of the box.

Adam Armstrong then made it two with a fine finish from around 25 yards, swiping across his body with his right boot before watching the ball nestle in the far side of the net.

Demarai Gray brought Blues back into the game just after the break, cutting in on his right foot and bending one past Saints goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu to halve the deficit with a stunning finish.

But Armstrong then scored his second of the game less than five minutes later, tapping home from close range to put the home side in control.

Southampton started the day in 15th and move up to 11th with the victory, Birmingham remain eighth in the league table.

Azaz opened the scoring for Saints just six minutes into the game, receiving the ball centrally on the edge of the box from his teammate Leo Scienza.

The 25-year-old then shifted the ball before drilling a shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net and past the reach of Blues goalkeeper James Beadle.

Azaz has now scored seven goals in the Championship this season, with six of those coming in his last five matches.

Moments later the home side went close again, Scienza dancing past defenders before pulling a pass back for Tom Fellows who crashed a powerful effort against the crossbar.

Southampton then made it two in the 24th minute as Azaz found Armstrong from outside the box and struck a right-footed shot across the keeper into the far left-hand corner of the goal.

Blues won a free-kick on the edge of the Southampton penalty box which was well struck by Tommy Doyle but Bazunu tipped the midfielder's effort narrowly over the top of the crossbar.

Gray produced a stunning strike in the second half to fire Birmingham back into the game, cutting inside onto his right foot and then curling an effort into the far corner to make it 2-1.

But Saints were able to score again moments later as Scienza shot from the edge of the area and Armstrong followed up to tap home from close range as Beadle palmed it into his path.

Kyōgo Furuhashi had a great chance to cut the deficit with around 20 minutes remaining as Jack Robinson's header rebounded off the post but his shot flew over the bar.

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert told BBC Sport:

"I said to the boys to not underestimate this win today because it was not an easy one.

"We needed to defend well especially in a game like today, if we want to make the next step we need to get the clean sheet, too, which means we have some work to do."

(On becoming permanent Saints head coach): "I knew that I wanted to do everything that I can for this football club from the very first day, I will do my best to put this football club where it belongs."

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies told BBC Sport:

"I think it was always going to be a challenge, but the first 20 minutes we weren't strong enough or physically quick enough onto the ball.

"We paid the price for it because we gave ourselves a mountain to climb at 2-0 down against a team with a lot of good players away from home.

"The first 20 minutes was not what we've been talking about or what we wanted to deliver in terms of our solidity and strength in that period away from home.

"But obviously they had a couple of moments which we just have to defend better today."