91Èȱ¬

Jack Cork and Graziano Pelle scored their first Southampton goals as they proved too good for Championship Millwall in the Capital One Cup.

Saints failed to unlock Millwall early on and Jermaine Easter went close for the home side after the break.

But, after Pelle had brought a good save from David Forde, Cork nodded in Dusan Tadic's corner at the other end.

Richard Chaplow fired over as Millwall pressed, but the busy Pelle coolly slotted home in injury-time.

Pelle, signed from Feyenoord in the summer, after failing to score in his first two league appearances and obliged with an energetic performance.

The Italian had shaved the post with a header before finally finding the net late on.

Millwall, who made nine changes to the side that lost to Rotherham in the Championship on Saturday, will take heart from the fact that their young side held their own, particularly in the first half when Byron Webster and Magaye Gueye almost found a way through.

Southampton travel to Arsenal in the third round.

Millwall boss Ian Holloway: "When I saw their team sheet, I thought 'what have I done'?

"But after that first half I'm actually gutted. I'm absolutely delighted with the way we played."

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman: "It was two different 45 minutes. After the first I was unhappy. Millwall were fantastic, but we were sloppy.

"But we did much better in the second half. We controlled it and finally scored the second one. The result is okay - but I won't forget the first 45 minutes."