Three first-half goals for Southampton saw Preston North End beaten at St Mary’s.

Che Adams netted twice for the Saints within the opening 29 minutes of the rearranged clash, before Stuart Armstrong added to the scoring prior to the break.

The hosts had further opportunities in the second half and were twice thwarted by superb Freddie Woodman saves, with the goalkeeper ensuring the scoring stopped at three.

Two changes were made from the weekend’s defeat to Norwich City as Emil Riis came in up top and Noah Mawene started a Sky Bet Championship game for the second time.

Southampton looked to start quickly and had early efforts through Adam Armstrong and Kyle Walker-Peters, while Mads Frøkjær tested Alex McCarthy in the seventh minute, with his parry almost falling kindly at the feet of Milutin Osmajić.

Adams sent a warning sign when he volleyed over 12 minutes in, but he soon had his first of the night as he found the back of the net with a tidy first-time finish on the end of an Adam Armstrong cross.

The provider almost turned goalscorer in the 26^th minute when he tried his luck from all of 40 yards to loft it over Freddie Woodman, who was relieved to see it land on the roof of his net.

It was the back of his net found, though, three minutes on as Adams finished off after a tidy one-two with David Brooks.

Saints had their third of the night in the 33^rd minute when Duane Holmes’ clearance fell only to Stuart Armstrong on the edge of the area, and he found the bottom corner.

The Scottish midfielder couldn’t have come much closer to doubling his tally before the half was up as he struck the post from the edge of the area, and it rolled back along the goal-line and eventually spun behind.

Ryan Lowe chose to put Greg Cunningham on for Duane Holmes before the break and Will Keane was also introduced for the second half.

Southampton continued to create, though, and Mawene had to come up with a crucial block in the 51^st minute to prevent Adams getting his hat-trick from just a few yards out.

North End so nearly caught Southampton playing out from the back in the 64^th minute, but Frøkjær’s cutback could only find a player in red.

Shortly after, Adams took down a chipped Shea Charles pass and had his close-range effort superbly kept out by Woodman, before the ‘keeper made an even better stop to tip over from Brooks, when it looked almost certain he’d make it four.

There weren't many chances of note created after that point for either side as the hosts took a 3-0 victory and North End now look ahead to Saturday's trip to Queens Park Rangers.

Southampton line-up: McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Aribo (Smallbone, 70), Downes (Charles, 45), S.Armstrong (Rothwell, 70); Brooks (Sulemana, 83), Adams (Edozie, 76), A.Armstrong. Subs not used: Lumley, Stephens, Bree, Fraser.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Holmes (Cunningham, 40), Whatmough (Ledson, 70), N.Mawene (Browne, 70), Brady; Frøkjær; Osmajić (Evans, 79), Riis (Keane, 45). Subs not used: Cornell, Stewart, Best, Seary.

Attendance: 27,636 (556 PNE fans).

Referee: Mr S Barrott.