Middlesbrough clinched their third single goal victory in a week with a hard-working performance at previously unbeaten Southampton.
The Saints were never able to find their rhythm or their spark and there was precious little for strikers James Beattie or Kevin Phillips to feed on.
Boro were content to soak up the pressure and for all their possession Southampton created little.
Boro took the lead in the 13th minute when Malcom Christie cut in from the right past a challenge from Graeme Le Saux before beating Paul Jones on his near post with a powerful shot.
Paul Telfer hit the post in the first half and Neil McCann struck the outside of an upright in the second but Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer had little else to worry him.
The busiest man on the pitch was referee Barry Knight who booked seven players for fouls and in the last minute showed a red card to Southampton's Phillips for kicking out at an opponent on the touchline.
Saints had goalkeeper Paul Jones to thank for a smart, one-handed save from Jonathan Greening in the 19th minute to prevent Boro going further ahead while the busy Dutch winger Boudewijn Zenden was a constant threat.
Mr Knight booked Michael Svensson of Southampton in the first half for fouls and followed that by issuing yellow cards to Anders Svensson and Matt Oakley of Saints and Middlesborough duo Danny Mills and Colin Cooper before brandishing his card once more in the 80th minute to Boro defender Chris Riggott.
Riggott, who had a sound game in the heart of the Boro defence alongside Colin Cooper, almost put through his own goal in the 49th minute as he stretched to meet a centre from substitute McCann.
Southampton manager Gordon Strachan sent on McCann in the first half in place of out of form Chris Marsden and also sent on Anders Svensson and Brett Ormerod in a desperate bid for an equaliser.