25/08/2001 Southampton 0 Chelsea 2 Southampton's first match at their new £32million St Mary's Stadium turned into a massive damp squib as Chelsea bagged victory in a game badly lacking in entertainment value. The Blues' goal came after 32 minutes, when Emmanuel Petit and Graeme Le Saux linked up on the left flank for the defender to deliver a fine cross that Dutchman Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink headed home. It was one of the few moments of inspiration in a contest sadly lacking in invention and incisive forward play. Chelsea claimed their second goal deep into injury-time. Substitute Gianfranco Zola played Hasselbaink into space on the left flank, and the Dutchman slipped the ball through to Frank Lampard. The former West Ham midfielder chipped the ball over stranded goalkeeper Paul Jones, to Mario Stanic at the far post, who slid in crash the ball into the roof of the net. A club record crowd of 31,107 crammed into Southampton's new ground, just 14 months after building work started on the banks of the River Itchen. The figure eclipsed the club's best ever crowd - of 31,044 - for the visit of Manchester United to The Dell in 1969. However, this awful match will have already been forgotten by fans unfortunate enough to have forked out upwards of £25 to watch Chelsea's expensively-assembled stars fail the shine against a Saints side that showed an uncharacteristic lack of passion. Chelsea's Dutch international Boudewijn Zenden - who terrorised England earlier this month - was virtually invisible, with only Lampard matching his lack of contribution to the proceedings. Home skipper Jason Dodd was forced to watch from the stands due to his knee injury, while Saints legend Matthew le Tissier - who scored the final league goal at the club's old home - was also ruled out, with a calf problem. Blues centre-back John Terry was in the starting line-up after overcoming a twisted ankle sustained in Sunday's season-opening 1-1 draw with Newcastle at Stamford Bridge. On a baking south coast afternoon, the opening half would not have looked out of place in the Football League. Neither side stamped their authority on the game - and both teams gave the ball away to frequently. Le Saux made a swift recovery after 19 minutes when he dangerously allowed a punt upfield to bounce. Marian Pahars was lurking, but just as the Latvian looked poised to race clear on goal, le Saux hooked the ball away from danger. The home side threatened again when centre-back Dean Richards - subject of ongoing transfer speculation after Tottenham declared their interest in him - strode upfield. The defender slipped the ball inside to Anders Svensson, and he curled the ball over de Goey's crossbar. The first moment of inspiration in an uneventful match deservedly led to the first goal, after 32 minutes. Chelsea midfielder Petit won possession on the left wing and exchanged three smart passes with Le Saux. The defender cut inside and dinked a clever far post cross over keeper Paul Jones for Hasselbaink to calmly nod the ball into an open net. Southampton had the opportunity to hit back when the industrious Uwe Rosler - one of the few bright points in a poor Saints showing - flicked the ball inside to Kevin Davies. He took one touch then lost his cool and sliced the ball harmlessly wide of the far post. Lampard won a great tackle in the centre-circle and spread the play wide to the left. Zenden raced to the byline and laid the ball back for the energetic substitute Jody Morris to lash over Jones' bar from 14 yards. Saints' record signing Rory Delap showed why boss Stuart Gray splashed out £4million for his signature this summer when his 25-yard free-kick whistled a foot over the Chelsea bar. Delap whipped in a wonderful cross from the right after 66 minutes, but Rosler narrowly failed to connect with his diving header. The German came even closer when he flicked left-back Wayne Bridge's cross from the other side goalwards two minutes later, but the ball sailed inches over de Goey's goal. It proved to be Southampton's last chance, and Stanic's late second only fuelled the theory that their new home may not prove to be as intimidating as their old one.