IF this was the night of Saints' most important game of the season ... IF this was the night we found out if they were genuine promotion contenders ... IF this night was make or break ... then WHAT a night it was!

Saints put in their best performance of the season against their best opponents of 2006/07 in what was easily the best game of the campaign so far.

And they answered a lot of questions.

Yes, they can handle the pressure of the big games.

Yes, they can score goals.

Yes, they are genuine promotion contenders - and not only for the play-offs. Automatic as well.

Both Saints and Birmingham came into the match unbeaten in November, they were the Championship's top two summer spenders, they are both clubs with expectations of a return to the Premiership.

But it was Saints who delivered on all that in the most dramatic fashion.

Their display was quite remarkable, the game even more so.

Creating chances, getting shots in, has not been the problem this season, nor has the defensive side of things. It's been scoring that has troubled Saints.

All of that was put to one side last night.

In a blistering five-minute period in the first half, it all came together.

Birmingham had looked the better team in the first ten minutes but after 20 minutes found themselves shell-shocked and 3-0 down - and they had won their last five away league and cup games!

Kenwyne Jones was the star of the show once George Burley switched to a 4-4-2 after the tough start.

With 14 minutes gone the ball came into the feet of Jones on the edge of the area. He shifted it double quick and fired towards the top right hand corner of Maik Taylor's goal.

The ex-Saint got a hand to it but couldn't keep it out, though he may feel he should have done better.

Just three minutes later Saints were 2-0 up. Jermaine Wright whipped in a cross from the left, Jones ran across Taylor and got to the ball before him to flick his header into the empty net.

And the St Mary's fans were in dream land two minutes later when it was 3-0.

Andrew Surman played the ball into Jones, back to goal, and he laid it off to Rudi Skacel who got over his effort and volleyed into Taylor's bottom left-hand corner from 20 yards.

When half-time came around it was a chance to pinch yourself.

All Birmingham had managed was a few long-range efforts from Gary McSheffrey and a free kick into the side netting from Sebastian Larsson.

Saints had chances to bury the game completely at the start of the second period.

Gareth Bale bent a trademark free kick around the outside of the wall and it smacked into the foot of the post with Taylor beaten.

Jones contrived to miss a great chance for a hat-trick.

The ball was high in the air and falling to him three yards out with an open goal. However, he couldn't locate it and it just dropped onto the top of his head and away.

Rasiak picked it up, though, and got a shot in which was headed off the line. The Polish striker then had a goal disallowed before Birmingham got on top.

McSheffrey's deflected shot hit the bar and Larsson hit the post before the Blues did find the net for the first time on 68 minutes.

Cameron Jerome controlled Radhi Jaidi's header from a corner on the line, turned and fired it into the roof of the net.

Four minutes later Medhi Nafti's shot from 25 yards deflected off Claus Lundekvam and fell to Nicklas Bendtner who sidefooted home.

Suddenly Saints were under pressure. All anyone in St Mary's could think about was Leeds last season - Saints 3-0 up and losing 4-3.

But there was still more twists. On 78 minutes Burley threw on Bradley Wright-Phillips and he scored with his first touch. Rasiak flicked the ball on into the area, Wright-Phillips turned inside his man and slid the ball into the bottom corner.

At 4-2 surely it was all over? No.

On 90 minutes Jaidi headed a corner goalwards where Chris Baird could only flick it into his own net.

There followed some pushing and shoving between Baird and his own keeper, Kelvin Davis, who had to be pulled apart by teammates.

Deep into stoppage time Birmingham could, and probably should, have broken Saints hearts.

Lundekvam failed to deal with a high ball and DJ Campbell had a free header running in on goal. He needed to lob it over the stranded Davis - he did, but it landed on top of the net.

In among all the drama, it was easy to miss the meat of this game - a Saints win that could just be the beginnings of something very special.