Norwich City's Ched Evans struck on the stroke of half-time to clinch a crucial victory at Southampton. Lee Croft set up Evans, on loan from Manchester City, to score his fourth goal of the season from 18 yards.
Southampton missed a host of chances, with Grzegorz Rasiak and Rudi Skacel both being denied by the woodwork.
But Stern John wasted their best opportunity with 20 minutes left, when he missed a penalty after Norwich's Gary Doherty had handled.
Southampton caretaker manager Jason Dodd:
"You never like to see a player sent off. "But when you break the rules by handling a ball in the area and stop someone scoring a goal then surely that is a sending-off offence.
"I felt the referee was weak and should have sent Gary Doherty off for the offence."
Norwich manager Glen Roeder:
"The players shouldn't begrudge getting all three points when we
were second best. "We created chances in the first half but Southampton would probably feel they
should have won the game because of they amount of chances they missed.
"We played very well in patches and the finish of the goal was top quality."
Southampton: Davis, Wright, Thomas, Davies, Vignal (O'Halloran 65), Wright-Phillips (Hammill 65), Euell, Surman (Idiakez 83), Skacel, John, Rasiak.
Subs Not Used: Saganowski, James.
Booked: Davies, Euell.
Norwich: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Doherty, Camara (Huckerby 73), Croft, Fotheringham (Pattison 23), Russell, Bertrand, Dublin, Evans (Cureton 63).
Subs Not Used: Gilks, Spillane.
Booked: Doherty, Cureton.
Goals: Evans 45.
Att: 18,004
Ref: Andy Penn (W Midlands).
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