NOT again. Football can be a cruel game and rarely has that been more evident than yesterday at St Mary's. Saints utterly destroyed Everton.

They were robbed of a penalty, played easily their best football of the season, dominated the best chances, but were ultimately denied victory by an injury-time equaliser.

The memories of the equally devastating Middlesbrough draw in Harry Redknapp's first game in charge came flooding back.

After such a sickening end, it is hard to dwell on the positives. But there were plenty and that is what Saints must now do.

They must pick themselves up safe in the knowledge that, on yesterday's evidence, they have a team easily good enough to get out of the position they are in.

Prior to yesterday's match, all the build-up had naturally centred around James Beattie and his return to St Mary's.

But the man who stole the show, until the 91st minute, was Henri Camara.

He looks precisely what Saints have needed for months. In fact, for a few years.

He is a player guaranteed to lift everyone - players, coaches and the supporters.

Yesterday, he did everything with incredible, infectious pace and passion.

From scoring his second wonder-goal in as many games to his theatrical reactions to any tackle as well as his many tricks and quality in keeping hold of the ball, Camara was like a breath of fresh air.

He was outstanding and should have been the difference between the two teams.

The man who has eventually proved to be Beattie's replacement is also currently playing better that the former darling of St Mary's.

Peter Crouch's headed goal was his eighth in only 11 starts this season - all his starts have come under Redknapp.

Spearheaded by Crouch and Camara, the improvement from the midweek defeat by Birmingham was obvious.

From front to back, it was the best Saints have looked all season.

Graeme Le Saux, playing his first game since that late heartbreaker against Middlesbrough, brought added quality to the left flank, while Nigel Quashie and Jamie Redknapp dominated the midfield battle.

As for Beattie, it seemed somehow fated the 26-year-old would open his league account at St Mary's. Maybe it was the south-coast air, but it took just four minutes for him to put Everton 1-0 ahead.

In the build-up to the game, the striker had said it had been a bit of a wrench to leave Saints.

"I really want us to get the points to try and help us consolidate fourth place. I will be doing my best to score - but I won't celebrate if I do. It would not feel right so soon after leaving," he said.

Beattie was true to his word. Well, almost.

The initial excitement of seeing the back of the net bulge from his shot produced a huge smile and an arm in the air but, in fairness, he remembered where he was within a few seconds and looked altogether more muted.

But Beattie's respect for the team he was now facing could not disguise the renewed look about him, particularly early in the game.

At that stage, it was pretty obvious what most in St Mary's were thinking: If only he could have performed like this earlier in the season.

Whatever Beattie says about leaving because Saints wanted to raise some money, he was ready for a new challenge.

Physically and mentally, he looks lifted.

I'm not party to fluctuations in Beattie's weight. But to the admittedly untrained eye, Beattie looked half-a-stone above his optimum fighting weight before Christmas.

He has an excellent strike and is a good finisher, but the rest of Beattie's game was all about getting around the pitch and hassling the opposition with a wonderful workrate.

Injuries clearly didn't help, but he looked slightly sluggish earlier in the season.

He doesn't anymore. Yesterday he looked far more like the man who cut an impressive path through the Premiership during the 2002/3 season with 24 goals.

However much that might irritate Saints fans, it was clearly a change that he needed.

And with Crouch, Camara and Kevin Phillips all in good form of late, it looks the best thing for both sides.