RESULTS are not the judge of any pre-season tour.

So while two wins and a draw is undoubtedly a very satisfactory return, other factors will give manager Paul Sturrock far more cause for optimism as the new season nears.

The most obvious was the emergence last night during the 2-2 draw with Elfsborg of a possible new partnership between Jelle Van Damme and Graeme Le Saux on the left flank - an area of the team that has been a problem ever since the departure of Wayne Bridge to Chelsea.

In that time, Chris Marsden, Neil McCann, Anders Svensson, Marian Pahars, David Prutton and Fabrice Fernandes have all been tried in midfield without a natural first-choice establishing themselves.

Indeed, for long periods last season, former boss Gordon Strachan and successor Sturrock often found themselves having to employ naturally right-sided players in that role.

But following his strong debut in the 8-0 drubbing of Asebro on Saturday, new signing Van Damme started at left-back against Elfsborg, with the cultured left-boot of Le Saux in front of him in midfield.

The former England international has previously enjoyed several spells for club and country in a more advanced role and Saints immediately looked far more balanced.

Most important, with Le Saux patrolling the flank, there was also the guarantee of decent delivery on a regular basis.

And the duo didn't take long to impress with much of Saints' best early play coming down that flank.

In the seventh minute Le Saux found Kevin Phillips dropping deep, who fired just over from 25 yards.

With Van Damme offering good support, Le Saux then immediately delivered a pin-point ball onto the forehead of James Beattie, who nodded down for Phillips to shoot just wide.

Fernandes went close from the resulting corner, before Saints took a deserved lead on 20 minutes.

Almost inevitably it came from the left-flank, with Le Saux's cross nodded in at the far post by Beattie - the 26-year-old's pre-season opener.

But if Saints were looking strong down the left, things were less secure on the right with Garba Lawal causing Darren Kenton problems behind Fernandes.

Nigerian international Lawal got behind Kenton in the 22nd minute and crossed for Daniel Alexandersson to stab past the near-post of goalkeeper Antti Niemi.

The Finn was not quite looking his usual assured self, and was powerless to stop Elfsborg taking a 2-1 lead when Lawal cut inside and saw his shot nestle into the corner of the goal after a big deflection.

The second-half got off to a strange start when Elfsborg fans bizarrely set light to a banner and let-off fireworks - apparently all in protest at the performance of the club masseur.

The momentum, though, switched to Saints with Beattie causing plenty of problems up front.

He forced a good save on 59 minutes after a move involving Van Damme, Fernandes and David Prutton, had a free-kick go close, before then finding the back of the net in the 76th minute, only to be adjudged offside.

But Beattie was involved again as strike-partner Phillips found the equaliser with just six minutes remaining.

Saints' top-scorer for the past two seasons showed good strength to turn his man and set Phillips clear, who coolly slotted home.

It was a pleasing end to what has been a very satisfactory week in Sweden.

In attack Peter Crouch, Marian Pahars and Brett Ormerod have put themselves forward as plausible alternatives to the excellent Beattie and Phillips combination.

Elsewhere, French teenager Yoann Folly's continues to develop in the middle, while Prutton has performed well and, at times, provided a midfield goal-threat.

The return of Matt Oakley and the arrival of Mikael Nilsson will also give Sturrock important options.

The defence also looks solid and will naturally only get better when Michael Svensson recovers from injury.

The major plus, though, has surely come with the discovery of that possible answer to the left-sided question. What every Saints fan will now hope is that the key cog - Le Saux - can have a largely injury-free campaign this time around.