Southampton fan Danny Ings scored twice to help Saints to a first win at Fratton Park in 35 years.

The striker netted twice in the opening period of the first derby match between Saints and Portsmouth for seven years after his side had suffered a difficult opening to the game.

Ings turned provider in the second half to lay on a goal for Cedric Soares before Nathan Redmond produced a stunner to seal a 4-0 Carabao Cup win.

More important than Cup progress alone for Saints was to regain the south coast bragging rights from their arch-rivals who they had not beaten at Fratton Park since Steve Moran’s winner in 1984.

It was, as expected, a red-hot atmosphere at Fratton Park.

The opening exchanges on the pitch were scrappy in difficult conditions as the rain lashed down and made the pitch heavy while the swirling wind did little to help.

Saints did look compact with Ralph Hasenhuttl making five changes to the team, largely to bring in more experience while switching to a back four, but Pompey came out of the blocks fired up and gave them a storm to weather.

Portsmouth had the first shot of the game on eight minutes, but it was a tame effort from Oli Hawkins and an easy gather for Alex McCarthy.

Saints got a little fortunate two minutes later as a simple pass split the defence and gave John Marquis a chance to shoot from 25 yards. He struck a fantastic, curling, right footed effort that bent wildly and clipped the outside of the post.

McCarthy made a stunning save on 13 minutes as a right wing free kick was headed out to Brett Pitman 12 yards out. He drilled in a first time half volley that the Saints keeper tipped over the bar.

Saints were really struggling and Pompey were left scratching their heads as to just how they failed to take the lead on 19 minutes as the ball pinballed around in the six yard box after a corner with McCarthy eventually managing to smother it.

Against the run of play it was Saints who took the lead on 21 minutes.

Danny Ings had a shot saved by Craig MacGillivray but Saints won it back through James Ward-Prowse who fed it back to Ings. The striker turned and produced a clinical low right footed finish from the edge of the box that went into the bottom corner.

It could have been 2-0 just two minutes later as Ings got in behind. MacGillivray charged off his line to make the save before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s follow-up was blocked on its way to the goal.

The Saints opener took a bit of the sting out of Pompey’s play but they were still dangerous from set-pieces and another half cleared corner gave Christian Burgess a chance to get in a shot but he missed the target.

Ward-Prowse tested MacGillivray with a shot the keeper parried away but there was nothing he could do as Saints doubled their advantage a minute before half time.

Michael Obafemi produced a stunning cross-field pass to find Ings who showed great composure to lift a finish over MacGillivray.

Ings and the Saints team went to celebrate in front of the Pompey fans and it appeared there were objects thrown at them.

Pompey started well after half time and Saints had to block a Ronan Curtis effort from troubling McCarthy.

But then a series of injuries and niggly tackles really disrupted the rhythm of the game which was possibly to Saints’ advantage given their two goal cushion.

Curtis tried to reignite Pompey but his effort from inside the area was deflected wide.

Saints sealed the victory on 77 minutes. Ings got in down the left and cut the ball back from the by-line. Cedric Soares popped up in an unlikely position to slam the ball home from six yards out to send the Saints fans wild.

They were even more jubilant when sub Nathan Redmond produced a stunning goal to give the scoreline a very one-sided feel.

Redmond produced a mazy run before unleashing a stunning shot that flew past MacGillivray to give Saints a memorable and convincing derby day victory.