Southampton have ended Hull City's 11-match unbeaten run while extending their own to 11 games at the KC Stadium this evening.
The Saints, looking to strengthen their grip on the top spot in the Championship, started brightly and were almost ahead but Hull keeper Vito Mannone kept out Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana.
Nigel Adkin's men did go one-up just before the quarter-hour mark when Guly Do Prado tried to pick out Lambert, but the ball didn't reach the striker as Hull defender Jack Hobbs turned into his own net.
The visitors could have made it two minutes later but Lallana shot wide after rounding Mannone.
Hull started to come into the game and should have equalised but Robbie Brady blazed over after being laid in by Josh King.
Southampton turned the screw after the break and were two ahead after 59 minutes when centre-back Jos Hooiveld slid in to convert a Jose Fonte cross.
The Saints comfortably saw out the remaining half an hour and complete their 22nd win of the season.
Three points for Southampton move them five points clear at the top after Reading's loss at Peterborough and West Ham's 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough while defeat for Hull sees them fall from seventh to ninth.
Pascal Lemesre
