Town progressed to the second round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy with a 3-0 win over Southampton at St. Mary's courtesy of a brace from Vincent Pericard and one from Charlie Austin.
The visitors started well, and looked comfortable in possession with Jon-Paul McGovern often finding space in the hole behind Austin and Pericard.
Even as the hosts began to enjoy a little more of the ball however, neither goalkeeper was tested, with off target long-range efforts from Jason Puncheon and Pericard respectively proving the only serious efforts at goal from either side in the opening 25 minutes.
It was Saints' Kelvin Davies who was called into action first, stretching brilliantly to tip a deflected Simon Ferry shot around the post, but he could do nothing to prevent Vincent Pericard giving Town the lead after 30 minutes.
Kevin Amankwaah chipped a neat ball towards the corner flag, which Charlie Austin pursued before volleying a pinpoint cross into the box, which Pericard drilled home on the volley to send the away support into raptures.
The hosts huffed and puffed in response to going behind, but Lucas remained largely untroubled, aside from the simple collection of a tame Rickie Lambert free-kick and a mishit Dan Harding shot late on in the period, and Town went in a goal to the good.
It was inevitable that Saints would make a strong start to the second period, and they did just that with David Connolly forcing Lucas into a sharp low save, before Radhi Jaidi volleyed narrowly over.
Shortly after weathering this storm, Town took a 2-0 lead when, on 63 minutes, Charlie Austin calmly swept home a pinpoint cross from Kevin Amankwaah - taking the sting out of the home side in the process.
It could have been three moments later as Callum Kennedy drove a low free-kick towards the bottom corner which Davies pushed sharply wide.
Saints then rallied as they searched for a way back into the game in its final 15 minutes, but their hopes of progressing in the competition were as good as ended in the 85th minute when substitute Lee Barnard launched himself into a tackle on Will Evans for which he was booked, and was subsequently shown another yellow after the ensuing fracas.
The hosts were a spent force after Barnard's dismissal, and despite having the majority of the possession, they failed to break through Town's solid backline.
There was still time for Pericard to cap an impressive performance with a second late on, poking home an Alan O'Brien cross after a rapid break from the substitute.
It was the perfect tonic for Town after their indifferent start to the season, and their excellent performance was made all the more impressive considering the early loss of captain Jonathan Douglas to injury.
