GOALS from Patrick Bamford and Tyler Roberts spoiled the party for Saints’ fans on their return to St Mary’s as Leeds sealed a 2-0 victory on the south coast.

Frontman Bamford popped up on 73 minutes with his 16th goal of the season for the Yorkshire outfit

And Roberts tucked home on the rebound in stoppage time to put a real dampener on the evening for 8,000 home supporters in attendance.

Defeat left Saints 14th in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday’s season finale at West Ham United.

Saints made three changes from the side who overcame Fulham 3-1 last time out.

Danny Ings, Takumi Minamino and Nathan Redmond dropped to the bench in place of Nathan Tella, Moussa Djenepo and Theo Walcott – who earlier in the day confirmed he would be joining the club permanently on a two-year deal.

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa favoured keeper Kiko Casilla ahead of Illan Meslier in goal as one of three changes for his side – the former Real Madrid man making just his second Premier League appearance.

Captain Liam Cooper also returned and Rodrigo was back in the starting XI after scoring twice against Burnley on Saturday.

But in front of the lively home crowd, Saints almost had the opener inside two minutes. Stuart Armstrong’s deflected cross looped up kindly onto the head of Che Adams.

The Scotland international rose above his man but saw his effort tipped over the bar by Spanish stopper Casilla.

The hosts came out with gusto in the opening exchanges. After winning the ball back in midfield, frontman Adams surged forward and slipped in Nathan Tella, whose deflected effort was saved before being flagged offside.

Winger Walcott then almost created the opener on 18 minutes.

After he showed his pace to latch on to Tella’s ball over his shoulder, the former Arsenal star took the ball round an onrushing Casilla, but saw his effort cleared by a covering defender.

Saints continued to probe. This time it was the turn of Jannik Vestergaard to get forward – the Dane’s neat turn allowed him to square for Stuart Armstrong, who fired just over the top from 20 yards out.

Leeds’s first real opportunity came midway through the opening period. A cushioned header at the back post allowed Stuart Dallas the chance to chest and volley.

But the Northern Ireland international, who scored when the sides met back in February, dragged his low drive wide of the post.

At the other end, Adams worked Casilla after being teed up by Tella on the edge of the area. The former Birmingham City star looked to place the ball into the bottom corner by was denied by the outstretched glove of the keeper.

Boss Ralph Hasenhuttl replaced Adams with Ings at the interval – but it was Saints skipper James Ward-Prowse who came within inches of breaking the deadlock just after the break.

He took aim and whipped a trademark free-kick over the Leeds wall, which clipped the frame of the goal with Casilla scrambling to his right.

At the other end, Saints stopper Alex McCarthy, formerly of Leeds, had to be alert to turn Dallas’s strike behind the post. Striker Bamford was then denied by the keeper from an acute angle.

Former Chelsea youngster Bamford then raced in behind the Saints backline just before the hour mark.

Having run in one-on-one with McCarthy, Bamford stayed on his feet when appearing to be caught by the Saints stopper. After being forced out wide, his shot was stabbed off the line by a covering Vestergaard.

Hasenhuttl then changed things from the bench once again. Redmond was introduced in place of Tella with 20 minutes remaining - the youngster receiving a standing ovation from the Saints fans.

But it was Bamford who opened the scoring as Leeds unlocked Saints’ defence on 73 minutes.

Rodrigo’s clipped ball over the top allowed the striker to run in on goal. He squeezed the ball through the legs of McCarthy at the near post to put his side ahead.

Leeds had the ball in the net again through Raphinha with six minutes remaining but, having slotted in Bamford’s cutback, the former was flagged offside.

Redmond jinked his way into the box in a bid to spark a leveller for Saints, only for his strike to ripple the side netting.

But it was Leeds who added a second in stoppage time. After Bamford’s strike on the counter attack was parried away, Roberts was on hand to apply a tidy finish.

Saints: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Stephens, Vestergaard, Salisu, Walcott (Diallo, 78), Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Djenepo, Adams (Ings, h-t), Tella (Redmond, 70).

Unused subs: Ings, Obafemi, Minamino, Bednarek, N'Lundulu, Ferry, Forster (g/k).

Booked: None.

Leeds: Casilla, Llorente (Berardi, h-t), Ayling, Cooper, Dallas, Alioski, Phillips (Struijk, h-t), Rodrigo (Roberts, 78), Raphinha, Harrison, Bamford.

Unused: Poveda-Ocampo, Hernández, Davis, Shackleton, Jenkins, Meslier (g/k).

Booked: Phillips, Dallas, Struijk.

Referee: Peter Bankes.

VAR: David Coote.