Hammers' travel sickness worsens

West Ham may have awoken with their favourite Italian still in their ranks this morning but they will have suffered a familiar hangover after another rough night away from Upton Park. Glenn Roeder's side fell to their eighth defeat of the season on the road at St Mary's as Southampton continued their move up the table.

One goal made by Fabrice Fernandes and one beautifully put away by the Frenchman, leapfrogged the Saints above West Ham and clear of the relegation zone. Roeder will be aware that even if Paolo Di Canio's move to Manchester United does not materialise, it will need more if the East Londoners are not dragged into the dogfight.

With West Ham boasting one of the worst away records in the Premiership, and Southampton still not completely settled into a new home that will forever have the feel of an artist's impression, the start was understandably edgy. The visitors' midfield has been accused of late of not matching their craft at home with graft on their travels, but they began lively enough with Joe Cole playing a free role in the hunt for any holes in the home defence. It was a forlorn search.

Indeed, there were 26 minutes on the board before the first noteworthy chance was created. Di Canio shrugged off Wayne Bridge on the right to cross but Frédéric Kanouté's header dipped over Paul Jones' bar. Di Canio was again the Saints' tormentor six minutes later when his cute ball back across the box put Cole into space but he could not finish.

Jones was having a busy end to the half and his hands must have still been stinging during the break after parrying away a fierce drive from Don Hutchison in the 37th minute. West Ham were taking control.

That they went in a goal down must have been galling then, especially as Kevin Davies' efforts to bundle in Fabrice Fernandes' free-kick from the left in the 44th minute looked to have come off the Southampton striker's arm.

An injustice always benefits someone and, if they did not quite come marching out, the Saints began the second half in full stride. David James had to dive to his right to fend off Paul Telfer's angled shot and then watched in relief as Davies headed over.

But with Cole's trickery at their disposal West Ham are always a danger. One run in particular in the 58th minute which took him deep into the Southampton area showed the talent of the England youngster.

Such flashes were a rarity from Roeder's side, however, and the home side extended their advantage from a free-kick conceded by Thomas Repka fon the edge of the West Ham box in the 64th minute. Again it was the left foot of Fernandes which did the damage, but this time it needed no help, his sumptuous free-kick clattering in under James' crossbar.

The fight petered out of West Ham and although substitute Jermain Defoe thought he had pulled one back in the 77th minute, Jones was the equal to his point-blank header.

Southampton (4-4-2): Jones 7; Dodd 6, Lundekvam 5, Williams 5, Bridge 5; Telfer 6, Fernandes 8 (Bleidelis, 90), Svensson 5, Oakley 5 (Tessem, 80); Davies 5 (Le Tissier, 82) Pahars 5. Substitutes not used: Moss (gk), Monk.

West Ham United (4-4-2): James 5; Schemmel 5, Repka 4, Dailly 4, Labant 5; Lomas 5, Cole 6, Hutchison 4 (Defoe 5, 68) Carrick 5 (Moncur, 5); Di Canio 5, Kanouté 5. Substitutes not used: Hislop (gk), Winterburn, Garcia.

Referee: P Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent) 6