IF you're looking for one possible turning point to Saints' season, one solitary moment in time which could transform what has been a dire first three months in the Premiership, then rewind the clock back to the 86th minute on Saturday.

Southampton were 1-0 up, the fans anxiously waiting for referee Dermot Gallagher's full-time whistle. Suddenly the ball broke on the edge of the box to Charlton defender, Steve Brown who, with the sweetest of volleys, had goalkeeper Paul Jones wrong-footed and a cruel equaliser seemed inevitable.

Yet amazingly the ball struck the foot of Jones' right-hand post. It kicked off the stanchion at an amazing angle, veered across the face of the goal and behind the sprawled body of Jones to completely bamboozle the Charlton forwards as it swerved away to safety.

Talk about the St Mary's curse, Pagan burial grounds, and evil spirits, but there was something pretty spooky about that one moment.

"When it came off the post you start believing in religion again," reflected manager Gordon Strachan, as with or without the help of the Pagan Queen, Saints finally rid themselves of the jinx of St Mary's to chalk up their first league win at their new ground.

Even sympathetic Charlton manager, Alan Curbishley, admitted later: "If Gordon had not won three points today, then he would have said this place is cursed.

"Southampton deserved all three points, and if six points had been on offer, they would have got them as well."

And Curbishley was absolutely right. Southampton dominated this game to such a degree that they should have erected one-way signs along the side of the pitch.For the first time in recent matches, Saints had the midfield completely under their control. Matthew Oakley, who has been so off the pace, came alive with a zest and purpose lacking this season.

He wanted the ball badly, he tackled tenaciously and harried relentlessly. He was desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself with a cracking sidefoot finish to Paul Williams' low cross nine minutes from time which Addicks' keeper Dean Kiely palmed away with what Strachan later described as "a world class save".Anders Svensson anchored the midfield, making the runs and creating the spaces, with Paul Telfer outside him intelligently working the right flank well.

But it was Chris Marsden who stole the show. He and Wayne Bridge staked territorial rights to the left wing. Their partnership turned the game, constantly putting Charlton on the back foot. Marsden is such a clever and neat player.

He is a craftsman who gives himself time on the ball, is never afraid to make the obvious pass, but equally able to offer the front-runners the supply which gives them the edge on defence.

He too, almost scored, finding the side-netting after 71 minutes after Oakley's long throw caused confusion in the visitors' defence.

This wasn't a scrappy win, this was a classy footballing performance from a team ready to play. The crying shame is that the final scoreline should have been 5-0, not 1-0.

"The performance was above the call of duty," said Strachan. "They way we have been playing these last three or four games, I thought we were going to end up getting a scrappy win.

"But to play the type of football on the day, physically and mentally brace, was surprising.

And that is the type of football I want to see and I think most fans will accept - creating chances, playing good football, defending bravely and looking confident."Really, it shouldn't be that way when you are bottom of the league."

Chances Saints created aplenty. James Beattie really should have helped himself to a first half hat-trick, such was the tide of domination. One left-foot volley scorched just wide of the post after 20 minutes, Kiely then dived full-length to a guide right foot shot from Beattie after Wayne Bridge had pulled the ball back.

Minutes later, Beattie capitalised on hesitation in the Charlton defence between Brown and Kiely, but pulled his shot across the face of the goal, before missing the easiest opportunity on the half hour, heading unmarked from six yards straight at the goalkeeper.

However it was Beattie who transformed St Mary's into an amazing cauldron of noise in the 58th minute, his tenacity setting up Marian Pahars' winner. Saints counter-attacked from a Charlton corner, stormed upfield through Pahars, and the Latvian played the ball out to Beattie. He stopped the ball from going into touch, turned Paul Konchesky and curled in a wicked cross which Pahars met from six yards with the flick of the head and into the goal. Inevitably, as the clock ticked away, the nerve end jangled and fate decreed a morale-sapping leveller.

Paul Jones tipped behind a Claus Jensen free-kick and Brown jabbed a shot just over the crossbar.The record-breaking Saints crowd roared their team to the finish line. It was victory at last.