If ever there was a game of two halves it was this one, the first half saw Saints comfortably 3-0 up and the second one saw them hanging on for dear life, before finally seeing the game out and getting the three points.

The only change in the starting line up for the visit of the Baggies was Joshua Quarshie in for Jack Stephens and the game started well with Leo Scienza putting us into the lead after only 12 minutes after a great run and pass by Tom Fellows.

5 minutes later and it was 2-0, Adam Armstrong pressing hard and forcing an error for the last man for the Baggies and then robbing the ball and firing home, we were now firing on all cylinders and when Armstrong took a pass from Finn Azaz and made it 3-0 the home crowd thought they had the game won.

In the second half the warning signs were there early doors, if the fans thought it was won and were going to sit back and watch, so it seemed were the players, when the visitors scored on 61 minutes it should have been a wake up call, West Brom were going to get their tails up and we took two of our best three players in Leo Scienza & Tom Fellows.

At this point we should have just held off on the subs, regained our composure and kept it tight for 10 mins, I thought this was a poor decision from Tonda Eckert.

We were now under increasing pressure, so on 75 minutes when we took off Adam Armstrong and brought on Jay Robinson, I thought we have taken of the one player that can hold up the ball and relieve pressure.

No slur on Jay Robinson but he is not that sort of player and often struggled to provide an outlet when we tried to play the ball out, in praise of him though he played his part in injury time in getting the ball into the corner and keeping it there.

The Baggies were now all over us a succession of balls in the box and corners were causing us all sorts of problems, they were getting the ball onto the edge of our six yard box and we couldn't deal with it, Gavin Bazunu made two superb saves to keep us in front, but then came a free header, no one marking Phillips who headed home, watching the replay I thought Bazunu had been impeded, if there was VAR the goal would have been chalked off.

But there was no VAR and now we were under the cosh with 4 minutes of normal time left.

On came another two changes, Oriol Romeu & Joe Aribo and in hindsight they added more steel and drew the sting from Albion, yes they looked dangerous in the final minutes including 6 of injury time, but we seemed to get some composure back and those final minutes weren't as nerve wracking as they seemed at the time.

So where did it all go wrong ?

I think some of it was complacency, in the second half the ground was like a morgue, the crowd thought the game was won and so did the players, we all thought that we would see this one out with ease, we got too cocky and learned a lesson.

The main thing though was to get the 3 points and this is what we did, not with the composure we would have liked, but you can't win every game comfortably, sometimes you have to did in and fight and in the end we did just that, both players and the Saints fans who suddenly found their voices again.

At least the ones that stayed to the death, I was dumfounded to see so many get up and walk out when West Brom got their second, Ok it was a disappointment, Ok most of us had seen it all before, but that didn't mean that it would be thrown away, we were still 3-2 up and just at the time the team needed support a fair chunk of the crowd headed for the exits.

But those who stayed made themselves heard and should be proud of themselves, they helped the team over the line and that is what supporting a team is all about, we had already used a 12th man on the pitch, in fact with the subs we had used a 16th man, but suddenly the Northam End and indeed the Kingsland, Chapel & Itchen stands found their voices spurred on the players and saw the team home.

As I have said not every game is comfortable, yes it was disappointing that we almost threw this one away, but we didn't, the record books show we won it 3-2, the League table says we are 8th and now just 1 point of the play offs, maybe only for a day, but as I said in the preview, it was all about getting those 3 points and getting in spitting distance of the top 6.

Tonda Eckert will hopefully have learnt something from this game and hopefully that will help us at Norwich on Saturday, we will be a stronger side for this experience.

All Photos Via Reuters

Boris1977 added 23:50 - Dec 9 Seems churlish to focus on the negative after the last few weeks and the return turnaround. However at half time I had a feeling that WBA would come at us, maybe their manager showed them the highlights of the Millwall game, and that we'd likely concede and not score again. Turned out fine but this 45 was similar, if not worse, than the Brum second 35. I'm a glass half full football fan so while I don't think the fans were complacent I think the players maybe were. Eckert was too formalaic with the subs but I'm sure he'll learn from tonight and will drill the message against complacency into the players. This is still a league where anyone can beat anyone if you switch off and unless saints bring their A game Norwich will be tough and they'll make it hard for us to break them down. As for the January window it would be good to get the yank and some of the under used squad out on loan and put the money on saved wages on a reliable CB to reduce the exposure of our average GKs. Leaving the match early on a night like this evening is odd but you pays your money etc COYRs

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PezzaSaint added 05:58 - Dec 10 Tonda Eckert would have learned a lot from the second half last night! I feel he’s a clever guy, but his skill will be in getting the players to keep their energy levels up. Perhaps a change of formation at half time would be better than trying to play the same game with different players?!
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bryanK added 07:15 - Dec 10 Really positive first half display and very easy on the eye. A win is a win but god we are riding our luck. The manager has now overseen 3 negative second half displays QPR,Birmingham and now WBA.So he now needs to show us tactically how he addresses this. Apart from the vastly improved Harwood Bellis we look vulnerable at the back so I sincerely hope we either recognise that the system of 3 centre backs or new signings in January 26 is addressed. Games are all difficult in the Championship but having said that would Stephens, Wood and Quasie(albeit he is young enough to improve) be able to cope at a higher level? Overall results are results. I remember the run in back in 1965/66 when we went 12 games unbeaten and some of the displays were not great but the end goal was achieved. So keep on winning!!

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davidargyll added 07:16 - Dec 10 Sorry Nick but I think you are being completely naive about the second half. The Baggies are not a bad team - witness how they began the season - not a great one, but not a bad one, and of course at three nil down they were always going to come at us after the interval because they had nothing to lose. It wasn’t complacency by us, they just started to get it together. You only have to go back a few days when Millwall got the better of us at the end of the second half and this was similar, OK from a different starting point but still similar. This time though we looked tougher and our luck held out thank goodness. But the lesson to be learned, so far as I can see, is that we have to be prepared for this sort of thing happening a lot more as the season goes on. We now have the best current form in the league so we are always going to come under the cosh. Our defence for a couple of seasons has been our (main) Achilles Heel and to get it sorted out in the wink of an eye was never going to be easy. How we deal with a desperate opposition throwing the kitchen sink at us going is what will decide whether 25/26 is a season to remember, or one simply of transition.

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WestSussexSaint added 07:19 - Dec 10 The first half was as good as we have seen at SMS but we need to carry that on into the second half for the first 15-20mins before we go into game management mode. I think the crowd responds to the style of play hence why it was quiet from the second half whistle. I get the early substitutions of Scienza and Fellows as it’s another 3 game week and we need their high energy on Saturday but doing it straight after West Brom had scored sent the wrong message and just encouraged the Baggies further. I wonder if Tonda and the players should look to pace the game better to spread out the effort through a larger part of the game as it looked like we were struggling for energy in the second half. A quick call out for Bazunu. Not at fault for either goal but boy did he pull off a string of fine saves to keep West Brom from scoring their second until late on. He could do more to dominate his box at corners but overall he played his part as much as Scienza and Armstrong in that win.

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SaintPaulVW added 08:13 - Dec 10 After a slowish start, we put together some great moves to be well ahead at half time. Great poacher's goal from Armstrong, second goal out of nothing in 2 games. Second half, completely forgettable we just seemed to stop playing again. I accept WBA came back into it but Tonda needs to find a way to keep us holding the ball rather than just inviting pressure onto us. Thought Archer again was our best outlet once Arma came off. Odd game, a good win ended up feeling like we just got away with it. Great to see us in the playoffs places, if only briefly, for now. COYR

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SaintPaulVW added 08:24 - Dec 10 PS a midweek game will usually have a lower crowd and people leaving early because of the joys of car parks, work the next day, kids bed times. It's not just complacency and prawn sandwiches.
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ElSanto added 08:31 - Dec 10 Great to win. Delighted to see our team turn it around like this. Long live the championship. Etc etc etc HOWEVER we have to be be incredibly frustrated to not get a head on any balls into our box. 3 big centre backs and they can’t defend with their heads? This should be an easy fix - grow a set! Onwards. COYS
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underweststand added 08:53 - Dec 10 The first time that I've ever felt depressed at Saints - despite getting all 3 points. This first half became the "standard Tonda start". 2 or 3 goals up before going in at HT in a celebratory mood, but then West Brom. woke up after the "standard first goal " (precisely as Millwall and Brum. did).. they came alive, and we looked all at sea throughout the remainder of the game.. Not sure about TE's HT instructions?..To sit back and soak up their inevitable revival ?, or should we have continued attacking in the same vein ? (that didn't happen) and as the game went on the Baggies looked stronger and we suffered. Fans who criticise Bazunu should bite their tongue, as he kept us in the game after a series of dangerous corners. Based on West Brom.'s second half ..I might almost say that they deserved the win, and we got lucky after 96 mins. Clearly we need to learn about game management PDQ, because we were shocking as the game went on and weren't a patch on our excellent first 45 mins. This was an example of where "we played badly", but still managed to win, but there won't be too many of those games this season. We need to sharpen up and plan for 90+ mins. in every game. The only saving grace being that we are closer to the Top 6 group and hopefully continue to learn how to control a winning position when we are leading.

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Block8 added 09:28 - Dec 10 PezzaSaint pretty much nailed it, we don't have the players to replace our three main threats & maintain their levels, so change tactics? Replace Azaz with Romeu or Bragg and stop dropping so deep, Also we're very vulnerable to crosses into the box particularly on our right, so my first action of the window would be to bring back Bree. He's looking a good player at Carlton and is a fat better defender than we have currently. That would allow us a flat back four & hopefully reduce balls into the box.

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ReturnOfThe added 09:53 - Dec 10 Eckert has transformed us from one of the worst teams in the league to the absolute best, but last night gave hope to teams yet to visit Saint Mary’s this season. As pretty much everyone has said, 2nd half strategy needs sorting & quickly, as we are being found out. Bazunu pulled off some stunning save last night, he definitely kept us in the game & has played his part in the Saints revival generally- the dissenters should give him a break!

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Colburn added 09:56 - Dec 10 Another win but we got lucky, we couldn’t have complained if it had ended 3-3. The reasons for this are obvious to me. 1- we stopped playing to score goals and hurt the opposition in the second half. We have seem this so many times before so why do we do it. I remember us being top of the Prem and two up at half time at home to United. Second half we tried to outpass Utd in our own half for 45 mins and lost 3-2. This is the basics of football, you dont stop trying to hurt the oppp and invite them on, its stupid. 2- The substitutions made us weaker, I have no idea why Aribo is allowed on the pitch in a Saints shirt, just a pretender whos picked up a huge wage for being lazy for 3 years. 3- Our wing backs cant defend so, yet again, we failed to stop the crosses from coming in. More basics of how to defend. If we dont solve this problem we will ship too many goals, it seems to be irrelevant how many big men we have in the middle, we still concede. 4- Bazunu MUST be stronger, he was pathetic for their second goal and given his weakness, why is he left to battle with an oppo player on his own, the defence are supposed to protect him. Eckert has bern great but he is not learning about the fact you need to play for 90 mins and not 45.. we have seen this in too many games, ok against ten men but last night we nearly chucked a 3 goal lead at home to a struggling team because we stopped playing at half time, this mentality has to change. Stop the bloody crosses from coming in!

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ItchenNorth added 09:58 - Dec 10 It wasn’t a great performance overall, to be honest. Yes, we went three goals up, the first was a brilliant move, but the second was a gift. Despite the scoreline, we weren’t playing well. After going 2-0 up so early, we eased off, and the third goal only came thanks to a tidy finish from Armstrong, who’s full of confidence right now. For much of the first half, our attitude and passing were sloppy, and the crowd could sense the game was effectively over. It felt like a non-event. In the second half, we were pedestrian, slow passing, no urgency. You could see West Brom were still in it, and that was down to us. At 3-1, a second goal for them looked inevitable, and they could easily have snatched a point. Still, three points are three points. It was great to see Sceinza score at St Mary’s and Armstrong continue his fine form, now leading the Championship scoring charts.

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Farlow added 10:38 - Dec 10 I thought it was quite a poor display,for the last few years our second half performances havent matched the first half.The main difference was that we won and they say a sign of a good team is to win when you dont play well.I just wish when we get 3 up we didnt sit back and invite them back into the game.
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sanpedro2112 added 11:00 - Dec 10 Great first half!! Good goals, but still feel we need some incomings in January (GK, CB, CF). THB has been great in recent weeks but a poor header from him for the first goal and massively out jumped by 2 big CB's (RF was marking the other one for some reason). Too many crosses coming in and can't help feeling that if we we went to a back 4 we might not get exposed on the flanks as much.

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Farlow added 12:49 - Dec 10 I do think Wellington would make us tighter at the back,as he can tackle.
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underweststand added 14:09 - Dec 10 Further to my post - those of you who don't like stats. should avert you eyes, BUT whilst bathing in the glory of an attacking side which is scoring loads of goals the outcome has become very predictable, but is also a warning for the future. 21 goals scored in TE's 7 games, yet fully 15 scored before HT. Opponents have scored 2. Opposition sides have scored just 9 goals, but 7 of these have in second half of matches. Is it a untold strategy that after scoring 3, we expect to hold off opponents for 2nd half ? because - if so - it nearly went wildly awry last night. If we expect to defend for the second half of games, my guess is. .it 'ain't gonna work for the whole season. Either TE is happy for us to see out games by defending for the last 45 mins (or in last night's ex. 51.. or...Are these players incapable of continuing the goal-scoring strategy for entire duration of games? This is a danger signal.

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Bowlercow added 17:37 - Dec 10 The only thing to say about the first half is to say I would give it 9.5 out of ten Inthe second half we reverted to playing the Russell Martin way at the back.I can't believe that TE has sanctioned that It makes me wonder about the season from day one A lot of our second half problems were caused by reverting to possession based play The Russell Martin way THB, Stephens,Manning,F Downes and Bazunu were all regulars under Martin in the championship They have all said they enjoyed playing tippy tappy Did they try and demand being allowed to play that way under Still who refused Have they dictated to Tonda how they will play?It would be a form of plyer power but in a positive way Whatever is causing our second half woes it needs to change pronto

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Boris1977 added 18:48 - Dec 10 We've had a dodgy back 5 for 4 seasons or so now. When we went up we conceded loads of goals but generally managed to score more, and often had to come back from behind in plenty of games. In the prem we seemed to concede 3 per game. Why do we struggle to find decent CBS? Bloody odd. If the club are serious about either going up or going up and staying there they need to pay the going rate for 2 decent CBS and maintain 2 of the current crop as back up. Watching the highlights just now I'd forgotten how incompetent our defenders are in the air. In this league goals often come from crosses but if we can't win even half of these bread and butter duels we're going to make life hard for ourselves.

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Jesus_02 added 20:26 - Dec 10 Im not syre uts that the back line suddenly become poor. I think its that Tonda doesnt have the options on the bench to play the game in thier half. He is trying to use Aribo for that but its just not working. With Ross Stewart out, Cameron Archer not being the physical presence that can hold the ball up and Downes just not being good enough we must bring someone in up front. They dont even need to be a prolific goal scorer, just someone that can work hard and hold on to the ball. We are doing well at the moment (2nd or 3rd in terms of form I think) but that can change very quickly if we lose any of Arma, Scienza, Azzaz or Fellows to injury or suspension.

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