IT'S not like Saints to do things the easy way.

Look at their elder supporters, they have more grey hairs and wrinkles than your average football fan.

Down the years the club have become masters of leaving things to the last minute when things could have been so different, so much easier.

And this season doesn't look like it's going to be much different.

Whether they will achieve their ultimate goal and finish in the top six is open to debate and very much up in the air anyway.

But it will now go down to a final few matches and those moments listening nervously to the goals trickle in from other grounds.

Birmingham at the weekend was another game that slipped away from Saints that probably shouldn't have.

Again, it was a case of missed chances.

Strange, perhaps, for the division's top scorers away from home to so often be rueing missed chances, but that's the way it's been.

One thing is for sure: Saints can't afford any more missed chances.

With three games to go and four points outside of the play-offs, it is just possible they have already blown their chance.

To stand any hope at all they have to win all three of their remaining games.

But even then it may not be enough.

If West Brom, Preston or Wolves win two of their remaining three then they would finish above Saints regardless of what they do.

Stoke would be able to do that with three wins themselves.

Of course in this crazy season you imagine there are still plenty more twists and turns to come.

But the equation is pretty simple for Saints - win their three games and hope.

Some people have been lulled into a false sense of security by looking at the fixture list and assuming Saints will breeze to three wins.

Leeds at St Mary's next week will not be easy as Dennis Wise's men are fighting for their lives.

Norwich are the only team that have little to play for, but that's away from home and they are a decent team despite their position.

It's also their final home game of the season so their fans will demand a good performance.

Southend at home on the final day is probably the simplest looking fixture, but they could need points to stay up and Saints have already lost to them once this season.

So, all in all, it's going to be very tough - but it could still happen.

It won't if Saints play like they did in the first half against Birmingham ... but it might if they perform like they did in the second.

The Blues were the better team in the opening period, putting a lot of pressure on Saints who were sloppy in possession and often quite wasteful.

Birmingham took the lead from one of their many corners when Radhi Jaidi met the ball in the six yard box and powered it into the top corner.

But Saints could have taken the lead against the run of play before that.

Jhon Viafara was played through on the right side of the area and, inexplicably, tried to cut inside rather than shooting first time, allowing Stephen Kelly to get a tackle in.

Danny Guthrie had beaten the keeper but not the foot of the post with a drilled low effort from 18 yards after Marek Saganowski had held the ball up and laid it back.

George Burley made two half-time changes, bringing on Andrew Surman and Kenwyne Jones for Djamel Belmadi and Leon Best. Both made a massive difference.

Birmingham were looking nervous trying to hang onto the lead and Saints exploited it.

Surman fired a volley over the bar before Viafara was found in acres of space at the far post and decided this time not to take a touch and skewed it horribly wide.

During this time Birmingham had one real chance with Nicklas Bendtner heading against the bar from a corner.

But the striker made no mistake with ten minutes remaining.

Andrew Cole played him through, he nudged it past Bartosz Bialkowski and rounded the keeper to roll it into an empty net.

But still it wasn't over.

Guthrie fired a shot against the bar and the rebound fell to Jones. It was a sharp chance but only six yards out he blazed his effort over an open goal.

Saints did grab a goal with five minutes remaining when Saganowski headed home well from Viafara's cross.

But again it was a case of ruing missed chances.

Hopefully that won't turn out to be the summary of Saints' season.