In-form James Beattie struck his seventh goal in six games to give 10-man Saints all three points in an explosive battle at The Dell.

Beattie beat Paul Robinson with a low angled shot three minutes before half-time, moments after Paul Jones had produced a breathtaking save from Olivier Dacourt's free-kick.

David O'Leary brought on Harry Kewell in the second half as Leeds' European heroes threw everything forward in a desperate attempt to prevent falling further adrift in the race for a Champions' League place.

But even when Saints were reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of Hassan Kachloul for his second bookable offence seven minutes from the end, Leeds were unable to find an equaliser in a fiery finale.

Referee Paul Durkin issued a total of six yellow and one red card, all but one coming in the tempestuous last 13 minutes, as the game threatened to get out of control.

A tangle between substitute Mark Draper and Alan Smith sparked a mass melee that earned the pair a booking and Kachloul his second yellow, but Saints hung on for a crucial win that lifts them into mid-table.

O'Leary had made just one change from the side that secured Tuesday's memorable win over Lazio in Rome, Rio Ferdinand replacing Lucas Radebe at centre-half.

It meant the Leeds boss had quickly abandoned the experiment of playing Ferdinand in a back three after the £18million man's disastrous debut away to Leicester last week in that system.

On that occasion it was Jonathan Woodgate who was saddled with most of the blame but after his performance in the Olympic Stadium in midweek the England international was preferred to Radebe.

Goal-hero that night Alan Smith was soon in the thick of the action at The Dell as he felt the force of a hefty challenge from Claus Lundekvam.

Durkin was quick to stop play, although the challenge was fair, but Smith was able to continue after brief treatment from the physio.

The visitors arrived with an excellent record on the south coast, having won six and drawn one of their last nine trips to The Dell and they started brightly despite the torrential rain that began shortly before kick-off.

Jason Wilcox should have done better when he was left unmarked at the far post from Eirik Bakke's cross but blazed over the angle of post and crossbar.

At the other end Marian Pahars tested Paul Robinson's handling of the slippery ball, the goalkeeper grabbing it at the second attempt.

Pahars was the only change to the team unfortunate to lose 1-0 at Arsenal last week, the Latvian shaking off a thigh strain to replace Mark Draper.

The first booking came after just 12 minutes with Bakke receiving a yellow card for a crunching challenge on Matthew Oakley.

A Kachloul cross caused chaos in the Leeds defence as Kevin Davies came in at the far post and the visitors were grateful to Dominic Matteo - playing left-back in the absence of Ian Harte - for scrambling the ball clear.

Neither side were able to create any clear chances and Leeds were forced to try their luck from long range.

Bakke tried to make amends for his unnecessary booking with a good effort from 25 yards that flew just wide of Paul Jones' right hand upright and, a minute later, Olivier Dacourt also tried his luck but the Frenchman's drive was always rising and Jones watched it sail over the bar.

Pahars shot wide after James Beattie had won a good header against Ferdinand, Southampton testing Hoddle's theory that the former West Ham defender was vulnerable in the air.

Ferdinand almost scored his first goal for the club just after the half hour when he met Bowyer's right-wing corner with a firm header, but Jones got across to his left to scramble the ball behind.

That finally sparked the game into life and Saints should then have taken the lead on 33 minutes when Pahars fed Davies on the right and his cross found Beattie just six yards out, but the striker only glanced his header into the ground.

Jones then came to the home side's rescue again with a breathtaking one-handed save, tipping over Dacourt's free-kick which was bound for the top corner.

And just two minutes later Southampton were in front as the in-form Beattie scored his seventh goal in six games.

Leeds lost possession in their own half and Tessem fed Pahars who played a superb ball between Ferdinand and Matteo for Beattie to run on to on the right side of the area before beating Robinson with a well angled shot across the goalkeeper into the corner.

Leeds could have equalised just 15 seconds into the second half as Southampton were caught napping. Viduka and Smith combined to put Bowyer through on goal in a similar position to that from which Beattie scored in the first half.

Bowyer attempted the same shot, low across the goalkeeper, but this time Jones was equal to the challenge and got down well to palm the ball away.

And Saints could have rubbed salt into the wound just moments later when Lundekvam flicked on Pahars' corner but El Khalej only got a glancing contact with his header with the goal beckoning from six yards out.

Jones then saved Smith's left-foot shot and Dodd tracked back superbly to clear from Viduka after the Australian had sprung the offside trap.

With Leeds desperate not to fall further behind in the league it was no surprise to see Harry Kewell replace the ineffective Wilcox after 55 minutes, the Australian's third substitute appearance in his comeback after a lengthy Achilles injury.

Viduka could have levelled the scores on 70 minutes as Dacourt's cross evaded everybody but the Australian completely missed his kick at the far post and slumped to the turf with head in hands.

The game then descended into an ugly mess with a rash of bookings that culminated in the dismissal of Kachloul.

The Moroccan was booked on 80 minutes for kicking the ball away at a Leeds' free-kick as tempers began to fray, with Dacourt receiving a yellow card minutes earlier for a nasty challenge on substitute Mark Draper.

Smith was now running around like a headless chicken looking for a confrontation and he found it with Draper, the pair getting involved in a pushing contest that descended into a mass melee as almost every player got involved.

When the dust settled Smith and Draper were booked by referee Durkin and Kachloul received his second yellow for his part in the fracas.

That meant five minutes of added time but Saints held on for the win to the delight of Glenn Hoddle and assistant John Gorman.

Teams:

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Lundekvam, Oakley, El Khalej, Kachloul, Beattie, Pahars (Draper 74), Bridge, Tessem, Davies.

Subs Not Used: Moss, Benali, Rosler, Gibbens.

Sent Off: Kachloul (85).

Booked: Oakley, Kachloul, Draper.

Goals: Beattie 43.

Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Matteo, Ferdinand, Woodgate, Dacourt, Bowyer, Bakke, Wilcox (Kewell 57), Viduka, Smith.

Subs Not Used: Milosevic, Mills, Jones, Radebe.

Booked: Bakke, Woodgate, Dacourt, Smith.

Att: 15,225

Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).