Until last season, we had quite a good record at the Dell. Then, at the end of January, we somehow contrived to turn in by far our worst performance of the season - getting comprehensively beaten 3-0. Even more puzzling, this defeat came just seven days after we had thumped Portsmouth 5-1 at Fratton Park in an FA Cup Fourth Round tie, to rave reviews throughout the Media. Perhaps we momentarily started to believe our own publicity. A dangerous mistake, as David O'Leary no doubted pointed out to them after the game. On a brighter note, in the game at Elland Road, last September, we reversed the scoreline - with goals from Wijnhard, Harte and a Saints' own goal.

NEEDS REWORDING If record signing Michael Bridges felt under any pressure after the signing on Wednesday afternoon of Darren Huckerby from Coventry City, he didn't show it on his second outing for Leeds, as he completed a memorable away day with a hat-trick that destroyed the Saints and gave United sweet revenge for their defeat down on the south coast last season.

The £5M man opened his account for United with a wonder goal when he volleyed in over Saints keeper Paul Jones after 11 minutes to give Leeds the lead at the Dell. Ian Harte chipped the ball over the Southampton wall, Michael Duberry chested the ball down and the England Under-21 finished with aplomb.

United the dominated the half, with the Saints rarely given a sniff, as the Leeds three man central defence of Radebe, Woodgate and Duberry making his full debut for the Whites, dominated the Southampton attack, although Welsh boss Mark Hughes thought he had scored when the ball from his shot appeared to cross the line and rebound out, after hitting the hoarding behind the goal.

Bowyer tested Jones in the Saints goal from close range, but the keeper was equal to the task and the rest of the half was a scrappy bad tempered affair, with three bookings for Leeds, Batty, Bowyer and Mills all going into Mr Wiley's notebook

One goal up at the break, United looked good value for their lead. Harry Kewell had a chance at the start of the second half, but a great sliding tackle from Jason Dodd saved the day.

But minutes later a surging run by Danny Mills down the right round Benali, ended with a great cross from the £4M summer buy from Charlton and there was Michael Bridges to slide the ball home.

Bridges completed a dream hat-trick when he glanced home a free header from an Ian Harte corner on 71 minutes, after Kewell surged through the Southampton defence and the ball was deflected over for the corner kick.

The former Sunderland star nearly had a fourth when he crashed home another header, but the goal was disallowed for pushing.

However it was Michael Bridges' night as he became the first man to score a hat-trick in this fixture since Peter Lorimer 27 years ago.

With new boy Darren Huckerby ready to enter the fray, Leeds can go to Old Trafford with some confidence on Saturday.