Lee Holmes and Adam Lallana struck in either half for Southampton as they put Championship rivals Birmingham out of the Carling Cup.

Holmes put them ahead with a crisp shot from the edge of the box.

Lallana fired a shot against the bar and then from the rebound he was denied by the post.

But he secured the win when he twisted and turned past Liam Ridgewell before firing into the bottom corner in the dying moments of the game.

Southampton: Bialkowski, James, Thomas, Cork, Surman, Gillett (Mills 60), Lallana, Wotton, Schneiderlin (John 56), Holmes, McGoldrick.
Subs Not Used: Forecast, Dyer, Lancashire, White, Wright-Phillips.

Goals: Holmes 17, Lallana 86.

Birmingham: Doyle, Parnaby, Ridgewell, Kelly, Murphy, Agustien, Carsley, O'Connor (Phillips 46), Owusu-Abeyie, Bent, McSheffrey (Mutch 46).
Subs Not Used: Maik Taylor, Martin Taylor, Jaidi, Queudrue, Aydilek.

Booked: Mutch, Ridgewell.

Att: 11,331

Ref: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire).

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