A depleted Saints side went to West Brom and kept up the pressure on them with a vital win courtesy of a Jordy Clasie classy goal.
The side that Claude Puel had to put out at West Brom was symptomatic of the problems that Saints have had this season, there were five positions being filled by those who would not be considered first choice this season.
In fact it was down the very spine of the team with two back up central defenders, two back up central midfielders and then Manolo Gabbiadini being absent.
But it was credit to the team spirit that the players in these positions that perhaps put in the hardest work and grafted out a well earned win.
In recent weeks I have aimed criticism at Yoshida and Stephens, but I will say that they had great games at the Hawthorns, although it should be noted that the Baggies still wasted a few chances in front of goal that might have cost us dearly had it not been for Fraser Forster who again looks back to his best.
Indeed there was not one Saints player that couldn't walk off the pitch without the satisfaction of knowing it was a job well done both individually and as a team.
Clasie and Hojbjerg commanded the midfield that meant that Romeu and Davis were barely missed and indeed the goal that won the game had all the characteristics of the team work that won the game, it had the hard work of Shane Long who brought the ball down ran at the defence and then laid it at the feet of Dusan Tadic, the Serbian then held the ball up, looked to try and turn then with that route cut off held it up a little more then laid it back for Jordy Clasie who smashed the ball home from 25 yards with Foster in the West Brom goal not even moving.
You felt that Saints did need a second, but that didn't come, however for all our possession we were still a bit vulnerable at times and we needed to dig deep and graft and we did.
It was hard to choose a man of the match, it was truly a team performance that had the West Brom fans streaming towards the exits long before the end of the game.
Now Saints are four points behind the Baggies and well placed to haul them in and overtake them for 8th position.
Saints now have back to back wins for only the third time in the league this season, they now need to make it three in a row for the first time.
When the season has ended and the dust settled it will have been Saints failure to find this consistency that will have ultimately cost them dearly, it it testament to the quality of the squad that despite all the issues this season we have still stayed in or around the top ten for most of the time and this highlights just how good this season could have been had we not had so many injuries or other issues.
Now is the time to be positive, stay behind the team and hopefully help it to that first ever fourth consecutive top ten finish.
That gives us great foundations to build on for next season, we should recognise that and enjoy these times, it hasn't felt like it at times, but if we get that top ten placing come the end of the season, then the stats will say this has been one of the best seasons in the entire history of the football club in terms of all round achievement.