SAINTS boss Gordon Strachan described his decision to leave James Beattie on the bench as "the original resting case."

According to Strachan, Beattie looked so tired that he needed a rest on Saturday - and he's even been ordered to stay away from the training ground until NEXT Monday.

In his place Brett Ormerod and Kevin Phillips both scored as Saints grabbed their first win in six matches against rock bottom Leeds.

Strachan, who was leaving Beattie out of his starting line-up for only the third time since the start of last season, said: "This is the original resting case.

"As I have said to James, when we play against top sides there the chiefs in the team you try and kill them off and the Indians then follow. Well, James has been a chief for us for two years now and I just felt nobody was killing James off, he was having a slight heart attack to be honest.

"It was self-created because he was running himself into the ground.

"He was no longer in the last couple of games our chief because he was so so tired he had a problem playing.

"In 15 minutes at Birmingham last week when we played well he was excellent, but when he got tired we had a problem.

"I've told James to have a complete rest and I don't want to see him until next Monday. He needs a rest.

"He'll probably argue with me but he needs it because he's been absolutely magnificent for us and it's not fair to keep working him and working him."

For Phillips it was his first Premiership goal since the opening day of the season, only his third in 22 games for Saints and his first for 15 - a goal drought which had stretched back to September - while it was Ormerod's sixth of the campaign.

Strachan added: "Kevin's the best out-of-form player I've ever seen in my life.

"His form is judged on goals and he judges his form by goals, so it's not been very good. But in terms of passing the ball and being brave, taking kicks, he's been great.

"Ormerod always works his socks off.

"We've asked him to be more focused and when he first beat the guy I thought 'he's going to flash this' but he took another touch and that was the most satisfying part of the day for me."