Saints secured their second 1-0 win at Brighton this season with a gutsy performance although they had to dig in at the end.
For an hour or so of this game Saints were in total control and more than deserved their one goal lead given to them after a sublime run by Nathan Redmond and a slide rule pass put through Pierre Emile Hojbjerg on goal to slot home in front of the delighted Saints supporters.
Up to the last 25 minutes we had been in total control and the Seagulls hadn't mustered a singe effort that had troubled us, we looked set to push on and make the game safe.
The first substitution seemed to upset the balance of the side, on the face of it bringing on Sam Gallagher for Danny Ings looked a reasonable change, Ings had worked hard and made the runs off the ball that had created space for others, it was sensible to bring him off.
But suddenly we seemed to lose focus and shape, this wasn't Sam Gallagher's fault, but we did seem to lose the composure we had had for the previous hour or so.
So what had looked being a comfortable win suddenly did not look so sure, but after a funny five minutes where the home side hit the woodwork and pushed forward with an edge that they had lacked for the earlier parts of the game, Saints dug in and kept a clean sheet.
So the good news for Saints supporters is that although we have our frailties and these can't be addressed till the summer transfer window, we have a team spirit that has carried us through games like these in recent weeks and hopefully will continue to do so and raise us up and away from the relegation zone.
This was again a team performance built on sterling work from the likes of Nathan Redmond and Pierre Emile Hojbjerg who drove the team forward and linked attack with defence, some tight defending where Jan Bednarek and Yoshida anchored a defence that had to be reshaped due to an injury to Jannik Vestergaard.
A few games ago we would not have dreamed that we would be on 33 points at this stage but two good wins in a row have put us back on the coat tails of the mid table sides and we are looking upwards rather than over our shoulders now.
This is all down to Ralph Hasenhuttl, back in November few had heard of him, now we have ! He has transformed the side, I have always maintained that the core of the side is strong and that we were badly led, a year ago Mark Hughes took over and lookng back seemed to be doing little other than pick the team, their was no motivation whatsoever, now Ralph has come in and motivated, focused and organised the side, he manages without fear and now the Saints team plays without fear.
There is still some way to go, but this performance along with some recent ones have renewed the faith of many and although the top 10 is going to be out of reach, I would not be surprised to see us up in 12th spot come the final table.
So another good win from Saints it was a game of contrasting periods, but we did what we had to do in both of them and that means that two more wins should now see us safe, but Ralph will want more than that and I think we just might get it.