West Brom 2 Southampton 3: Heartfelt tributes to Cyrille Regis but agony for Albion as Saints take the spoils

On a raw, emotion-drenched afternoon in the heart of the Black Country, West Brom honoured the late, great Cyrille Regis with pride and passion, but remain adrift at the foot of the table after a costly defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Southampton.

Given the perfect start by Ahmed Hegazi's early opener, Albion subsided against a Southampton side able to celebrate their first league win since a 4-1 beating of Everton in November.

While they will not be fortunate enough to face sides as weak as Albion every week, this was a significant moment for under-pressure Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino, who had endured travelling supporters calling for his sacking before his side's dramatic turnaround.

Southampton stunned their hosts with two goals, a brilliant strike from Mario Lemina and an artful header by Jack Stephens, just before the interval. Confidence surging, they added a third early in the second half, though it was not without a moment of self-induced controversy. Sofiane Boufel had his heart set on taking a free-kick and had to be led away by team-mates before James Ward-Prose drove past goalkeeper Ben Foster.

Salomon Rondon headed Albion back into the game 18 minutes from the end but Southampton, showing new-found resolution, held firm for a crucial and deserved victory.

Albion supporters had packed the stadium early to hear heartfelt tributes to their former striker, who died last month. Together with their impeccably-respectful visitors from Southampton, they played their part in a moving, thought-provoking farewell to a powerfully symbolic figure.

The great and good of West Brom's footballing heritage queued to pay their respects to the man who broke down so many barriers in the fight for racial equality in the 1970s and 80s, setting the scene for a deeply impassioned one-minute's standing applause immediately before kick-off.

Thus inspired, Albion could not have made a better start, taking the lead in the fourth minute. Matt Phillips won a corner, flighted in by Chris Brunt for central defender Hegazi to arrive unattended to head beyond goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

"Cyrille Regis, that goal's for you," sang the joyful Albion crowd. There were more signs of encouragement for Albion. Daniel Sturridge, their new loanee from Liverpool, was quick to form a rapport with fellow striker Rondon, and Brunt's corners induced further uncertainty in the Southampton rearguard.

Slowly but surely Southampton settled to their task and were deservedly level five minutes before the break, Lemina delivering the perfect, rising strike from 20 yards that left Foster helpless.

There was a further shock for Albion three minutes later, Stephens sending a header from Ward-Prowse's corner arcing over Foster to give the visitors the lead.

Albion's fragile confidence was in pieces and Southampton took just 10 minutes of the second half to establish a firm grip on the points. Wesley Hoedt's buccaneering run was cut short by Gareth Barry's foul just outside the home penalty area. Boufal was upset not to be handed free-kick duties but he could have had few complaints at Ward-Prowse's execution, bent superbly round the defensive wall to beat Foster.

All over? Not quite. Rondon rose to head home 18 minutes from the end and Albion had fresh hope but had left themselves too much to do.