Two wins in three months under Will Still has been followed by two win in three days, perhaps showing where our problems lay, again not a perfect performance, but the first one in 17 months where we didn't have to sweat in the final minutes, so it was job done.

When we meet Charlton in a couple of weeks time, the chances are that Tonda Eckert will not be in charge of the tea, certainly those in the Northam Red Wall made their feelings known on who they didn't want to see as the next manager, as anti Gary O'Neil chants were heard at various times during the game.

But this was the only negative chants heard, as Saints gameplan went smoothly and 3 points were well earned.

There was only one change in the starting line up from the win at QPR, in came Finn Azaz and out went Jay Robinson who had struggled with cramp before going off at Loftus Road so presumably was rested.

I said in the preview that the key in this game would be an early goal to keep the crowd positive and to build our confidence, we got this after just 9 minutes when Casper Jander shot looped up over the keeper and despite his efforts headed to the goal, it looked like it had been hacked off the line, the second time Wednesday had to do this at an early stage, but this time the signal was that it had crossed the line and we had the early lead we wanted.

The lead was doubled on 17 mins when Tom Fellows went on a nice little run, and as the visitors defence were expecting a shot he slipped it neatly sideways for Finn Azaz who opened his Saints account with a nicely placed shot across goal that gave the keeper no chance.

We were now in charge and Saints fans expected a rout, but that wasn't quite the case as on 25 minutes the Owls showed they didn't give a hoot about the blueprint for this game and pulled a goal back, the shot took a bounce just before it reached Gavin Bazunu, leaving him little chance of stopping it.

However those Saints fans who thought he should have done better were applauding him a short time later when Wednesday should have equalised, but a top class save from Bazunu preserved Saints lead.

Saints recovered their poise though and nearly restored the two goal lead but another Wednesday goal line clearance thwarted them.

At half time the game looked comfortable, but the doubt was there and could Saints throw this one away was the question.

But with many Saints fans still on the concourses discussing this very issue, came the goal that put the game to bed, a lovely through ball from Taylor Harwood-Bellis saw Adam Armstrong shrug off his marker on the half way line and run through to then deftly place the ball past the keeper to make it 3-1.

However those Saints fans who were expecting a goal rush would be disappointed, the lesson had been learned from the first half when a two goal lead was halved, the job was to get three points and rebuild the confidence, we stuck to that task, rather than rush forward en masse and get caught on the break.

The stats that Will Still so much loved, showed a far more even game that it was on the pitch, but we stayed in complete control as we made the right substitutions and kept our shape, there was no scattergun approach, however at half time there was a strange change, Flynn Downes had done 90 minutes against QPR, Joe Aribo would have been the player brought off the bench for most people, but Eckert brought on 18 year old Barnaby Williams.

Williams slotted in without many people noticing, and then Eckert's changes were more measured and less scatter gun than his predecessor, they made sense, Robinson for a tiring Scienza, Roerslev for Fellows on the right and Downs on for Finn Azaz and then fianlly a forced change when Roerslev had to depart injured after being clattered in a tackle and Quarshie came on.

The key to seeing out this game was keeping our shape and that we did, a few more goals would have been good, but we had the game won so we saw it out, we took no risks in the 2nd half we got the job done.

The last two games have not seen us hit top form, but after the last few months that would have been asking a lot, but it has seen us slowly but surely build our confidence and show that under the right manager this squad can challenge for promotion.

As it stands after this weeks round of games, we are now 7 points behind the play off spots and coming in off the rails, being 11 points behind the automatic promotion spot is a big ask, but you never know keep winning games and see where we are come April.

Tonda Eckert has done his job, he has won the two games in charge that take us to the international break, he has won them both and in doing so, has shown that he is potentially a future first team manager at this club, but possibly not just yet.

Sport Republic now have a big decision, after a raft of managerial mistakes, they need to get this one right, this team needs a respected experienced hand in charge, the fans in the Northam made their feelings known that it should not be Gary O'Neil, that was the feeling I got in speaking to people before and after the game, rightly or wrongly his Portsmouth connections are far too strong, he wasn't just a player he was a key part of their success 20 years ago as we dropped down the League.

However is that a good enough reason to rule him out, certainly in Saints fans eyes it is at the moment, however sometimes fan's influencing a managerial decision is not positive, in 2004 Rupert Lowe ( Sorry I should have said the Right Honourable Rupert Lowe MP for Great Yarmouth) wanted to bring back Glenn Hoddle to the club, the wave of fan protests meant that he could not persuade the rest of the board to back his decision and he went for Harry Redknapp instead, relegation followed and we endured a terrible 4 years before we began our climb back to the top.

So we should judge O'Neil on his track record as a manager and not who he played for.

To be honest that is not impressive, only 3 and a bit years experience, 1 as an assistant, 1 as manager at Bournemouth in a relegation battle season and 1 and a bit at Wolves, hardly inspiring.

Now we need to back the team and back Johannes Spors judgment, in fairness he has been responsible for just one appointment that of Will Still, lets hope he can get it right second time around.

All Photos Via Reuters

underweststand added 09:37 - Nov 10 Not a lot to add to those comments (above). Two goals in the first 20 mins. was enough to ease many nerves, but absolute chaos for Wednesday's goal. Still findmyself unconvinced about Bazunu as a long-term option. The Man U. loan lad (scored their goal) is one to remember if / when MU decide to release him. I thought he was their best player (along with Bannen) as he continually turned up all over the pitch. When fitness and form come together, we will have a fearsome midfield with; Azaz, Jander, Fellows and Charles, and even the prospect of a returning JWP. Goals for Jander and Azaz got the monkeys off their backs, and Adam's goal was a real masterpiece considering the chances he's wasted in recent games. The managerial appointment is still a wide-open questions amongst fans, but it will be Spors who will make the final decision. Eckert seems to have a real footballing brain but still sounds a bit restrained in English language interviews, (but he's streets better than Pochettino, Puel and one or two others in that area). However, he has the courage to select the likes of young Williams when their was more experience on the bench. Two very welcome wins don't give any real chance to review his methodology, but he does know the club - and the player's names- so he can't be worse than some of the previous managerial choices in the last few years.

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Farlow added 15:47 - Nov 10 For the first time in a while i thnk Scienza will become an Icon at St Mary,s which is what we need.
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Whatsforpud added 16:12 - Nov 10 Bazunu was at fault for the goal. As a goalkeeper myself (in the black and white era), when you see a player lining up a shot from 25 yards, you take a couple of steps forward, to make the target appear smaller. This he didn't do. Can I say a word of praise here for Manning. He took a lot of criticism when he first arrived, but although not the greatest defender we have had, His passing forward in this match, especially to Scienza, set off many of our attacks. No one else has mentioned him.

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WanderingSaint added 12:04 - Nov 12 Am I the only Saints fan who thinks it's absolutely pathetic to discount a manager because he once played for and/or managed our rivals down the road?
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