Brett Ormerod scored a hat-trick as Premiership Southampton swept aside their Second Division rivals to earn a place in the Worthington Cup third round.

Tranmere threatened only briefly, equalising through Graham Allen after 21 minutes but their equaliser proved the calm before the storm.

Southampton's smallest-ever attendance at St Mary's, 16,603, could hardly believe the goal feast after seeing their side score only four in eight Premiership matches.

Tranmere did not help their own cause, gifting Saints two of the goals with horrific first-half blunders.

None was worse than concocted by Phil Whitehead after only 16 seconds.

Under pressure from Ormerod, Whitehead could clear only as far as Chris Marsden 35 yards out.

With the goalkeeper well off his line, Marsden struck the ball first time and it dipped under the crossbar for a soft opener.

Tranmere came back to equalise in the 21st minute when defender Allen bundled in a free-kick from Micky Mellon but their joy was short lived.

Three minutes later Fabrice Fernandesset up the second with a centre from the right to the far post where James Beattie headed down for Ormerod to hook home.

The match was put out of Tranmere's reach in the 42nd minute when Allen was dispossessed inside his own area by Marsden, leaving Ormerod the simplest of tasks.

In the 51st minute Fernandes ran from the halfway line through a retreating defence and passed two half-hearted tackles before shooting past the unprotected goalkeeper.

Midway through the second period Michael Svensson added a fifth from a corner and on 67 minutes Ormerod scored with a right-foot shot.

Two minutes previously Michael Svensson had added a fifth from a corner.

Southampton: Niemi, Dodd, Bridge, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Fernandes, Oakley, Anders Svensson, Marsden, Ormerod, Beattie.
Subs: Jones, Kanchelskis, Delap, Tessem, Williams.

Tranmere: Whitehead, Taylor, Roberts, Edwards, Allen, Harrison, Jones, Mellon, Curtis, Hay, Barlow.
Subs: Achterberg, Sharps, Olsen, Hinds, Parkinson.

Referee: P Taylor (Hertfordshire).