SAINTS 1 - SPURS 0

And there was plenty of fire in this match at home to Spurs which really was a make or break for Saints' season.

If they were to have lost or drawn this match then it would have been hard to see them surviving in the Premiership this season.

But this win could just be the spark to kick-start a nice little run until the end of the season and guarantee top flight football for another year.

Thankfully, the result was a win and it's blown things wide open at the bottom.

As has been predicted here since some time at the end of October, West Brom and Norwich look like goners.

The battle has always seemed to be purely between Saints and Crystal Palace.

But, while those two teams are clearly still the favourites to fill the third from bottom slot it isn't inconceivable that Blackburn, Fulham or Portsmouth could yet be dragged into it.

It would require Saints and Palace to continue their good current form and for the others to continue to nose dive but at least it's possible.

Some will say it's best not to get carried away on the back of one result but this is not just about one result.

It's been on the cards for a while now - since Harry Redknapp brought in his five January transfer window signings and they started to click.

As was proved at Brentford, without them the team can still be shaky.

But with them they look a decent, mid-table Premiership outfit.

The question was whether it was too little, too late. The answer, it appears, is 'no'.

There are still nine games left and there's plenty of points to play for.

Add to that an FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United in the offing and who knows what the end of the season could bring.

Against Spurs, Saints' defending at times still left something to be desired but they looked so much more composed at the death.

With the crowd, the manager and no doubt a few of the team thinking back to the quick disposal of points against Middlesbrough and Everton, it was great to see them hang on for a win at last.

It has to be said that the bedding-in in the centre of midfield of Jamie Redknapp and Nigel Quashie has a lot to do with it.

They are two class acts and the team has a different feel, a different shape, a different tempo with those two in the middle.

And when you need some class and composure at the death, they provide it.

Quashie is there to make the vital tackles but doesn't chase the ball and instead keeps thinking.

Redknapp gets his foot in as well, picks up the scraps and retains possession.

Saints' only weakness in that respect was a lack of ball retention up front, but still they battled valiantly for their win.

Paul Smith was a real star of the show for Saints. He had to pull off a string of top saves from Jermain Defoe while Mido also troubled him as early as the first minute of the game.

The first half was a real belter with both teams creating chances for their frontmen.

But it was six minutes into the second period that the decisive moment of the match came.

Mikael Nilsson had just come off the bench for the injured Rory Delap and his first touch was to swing in an inch perfect cross from the right that Quashie powered in to ram his header into the net.

The nerves started jangling around St Mary's almost instantly but were nearly calmed when Peter Crouch steered a header goalwards only for Paul Robinson to pull off an unbelievable save.

Perhaps, pre-Redknapp, this was a game Saints might not have won.

But such is the class and calibre of the players he has added to the team, they seem to have that missing ingredient needed to win matches.

Of course, there must also be a word said for the players that were already here that are playing in this side.

The new signings are backed up by all of these guys too.

There's a long way to go still this season and no doubt there are twists and turns and highs and lows still to come.

But at last Saints fans can not just imagine survival - they can actually see it.