Around 200 home supporters gathered outside the ground with banners and smoke flares ahead of kick-off to voice opposition to the club’s ownership but tensions were eased, temporarily perhaps, as Enzo Maresca’s team scored three in the first half to win for only the third time in 11 in the league.
Two lovely, direct passes finally broke Southampton’s lines, the first drilled upfield by Tosin Adarabioyo, the second a finessed, intelligent ball by Enzo Fernandez that released Palmer who fired uncharacteristically wide.
Palmer ought to have doubled the lead when for the third time Fernandez set him free down the right-hand channel, but again the team’s leading scorer was off target with a shot across goal.
Christopher Nkunku netted his 14th of the season in all competitions, Pedro Neto scored a rare but needed goal in his personal quest for confidence and Levi Colwill headed a third.
Tosin rose to redirect Palmer’s cross to the back post where Nkunku had manoeuvred goal-side of Will Smallbone to stoop and bundle the ball home.
