A great start to the season.

The best start to the season in 23 years as Saints dominated an uninspired Leeds side from start to begining.

Its hard to say anything negative about this game as Nigel Adkins got his team selection spot on, perhaps surprising a few people in the process, but it was a side that clearly was coming to the boil right at the optimum moment in terms of both fitness and desire, the moment the whistle was sounded Saints continued right where they left off last season and played with a verve and a confident that sugests that they might be looking at being the surprise package of the season.

Of course some would say we have seen it all before, but we havent really in that this was the first opeing day home win for 23 years and the first in total,in a dozen, so there is a slight excuse to get carried away a little.

Of course this being Saints we are used to being let down in the next game after a good win, but on Saturday you really had the feeling that this side is made of something a little different.

Each player played his part from Kelvin Davis right down to the subs and in truth its hard to see where you could improve the side in the transfer window, especially when you consider the calbre of players who werent even on the pitch, Barnard, Chamberlain, Holmes, Dickson, Jaidi for instance could all easily be selected on merit, yet for one reason or another didnt play.

I said in my preview that i thought we had a good squad and that the difference between mid table and a shot at promotion would be how the manger did his job, well so far he seems to be doing it well and whilst its a little early to get carried away, we have the opportunity now to get off to a good start and get points in the bag as well as a couple of early tests away from home against two teams who will be there or thereabouts and its perhaps good to get those games out of the way early.   

Given that we are now back in the Championship and that it was against a team that finished 7th in that division last year, I would say that this was perhaps one of our most complete and satisfying perfomances in many a year, yes we had a few last year, but being blunt, that was in a division we should have been getting out of without having to break too much sweat and we didnt once we got into our stride, this was a step up and we met the challenge well.    

Photo: Action Images via Reuters