Two assists from the left-back, four goals past the division's joint-best back line, and Eckert's side sign off at St Mary's in style
By Our Special Correspondent
In front of 30,531 at St Mary's, Tonda Eckert's side picked the lock on the Championship's tightest door. QPR came to the south coast with the joint-best defence in the Championship and a 5-0 win over Swansea behind them. They went home beaten 4-1.
Eckert had warned that Julien Stéphan's side pressed aggressively and were comfortable sitting in a block. They were, for most of the first half. But Southampton had already found a way through.
Matsuki strikes early
On 11 minutes Léo Scienza's shot was deflected into Kuryu Matsuki's path, and he struck it home from close range into the bottom left corner. He had scored at the London Stadium last week, too.
QPR answered with their best spell. Paul Smyth headed two crosses off target and then forced a save from Daniel Peretz from distance, and Kwame Poku shot just past the post. Southampton's threat came from set pieces. Keven Schlotterbeck's header from Ryan Manning's cross was turned behind by Pierce Charles, and Saints won corner after corner without adding to the lead.
Manning takes over
The second half belonged to the left-back. He forced a save from Charles two minutes after the restart and was twice caught offside, but on 55 minutes he picked out Cameron Bragg, whose left-footed shot went in off the foot of QPR captain Jimmy Dunne.
Charles kept QPR alive with saves from Scienza and Lewis Dobbin, but from Dobbin's effort came a corner. Manning swung it in and Schlotterbeck, at the back post, headed it high into the net. Three-nil on 66 minutes.
Stéphan had already sent on Karamoko Dembélé and Koki Saito, and it was Dembélé who set up Richard Kone two minutes later. Kone, from the right of the box, hit a thumping shot that flew in off the post.
A flourish at the finish
That was as close as QPR came. Kone had another shot blocked, and they managed only two efforts on target all afternoon. Jonathan Varane, Kealey Adamson and Jimmy Dunne were all booked as their frustration grew; QPR committed 15 fouls to Southampton's six.
Eckert sent on Flynn Downes, back from injury, for James Ward-Prowse, then Samuel Edozie and Divin Mubama. QPR finished with ten men when Alfie Lloyd went off injured after Stéphan had used all his substitutes, and Southampton made them pay.
In the second minute of stoppage time Eckert sent on Barnaby Williams and Welington, the latter for Manning. Three minutes later the ball fell kindly for Welington in the area and he swept it in for 4-1. Southampton finished with 19 shots, nine on target, and nine corners.
Before the game Eckert had said a win over West Ham was only worth something if they followed it up. They did, and he was quick to credit the opposition.
The boys were really good and came up against a really good side in QPR who scored five last week. The last 20 minutes could have been easier but it was not easy to defend against them and the boys did a good job.
Tonda Eckert, Southampton head coach, to BBC Radio Solent
He saved his warmest words for Bragg, back in the side after the derby.
The reaction from him has been brilliant and it's so important that you come back into the side with your chest out and he has done that. At the start of his senior career that just shows his maturity, he doesn't shy away from the ball and we need that.
Tonda Eckert, Southampton head coach, to BBC Radio Solent
Stéphan did not hide from the spell after half-time that cost his side the game.
The first half was OK. The beginning of the second half was not OK at all. It was probably the worst 20 minutes collectively since the start of the season.
Julien Stéphan, QPR head coach (West London Sport)
We struggled as well on set plays for the first time this season.
CHAMPIONSHIP