Saints boss Gordon Strachan admitted his side have let themselves down in front of goal after going four games without scoring.

Strachan could only watch in frustration as his men put in a strong display at Goodison Park.

But once again they spurned several good openings to draw another blank in the 0-0 draw at Everton.

Saints still sit seventh in the table but have now failed to find the net against Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Steaua Bucharest and Everton.

It's the first time in Strachan's near two years in charge that Saints have gone four successive games without a goal.

Another blank at home to Blackburn next Saturday will equal the barren run of five games in April 2001 that followed the departure of Glenn Hoddle.

Strachan said: "We are hard to beat, hard-working and honest.

"We play some decent football but we just let ourselves down with the final pass or cross or shot.

"It was the same at Steaua Bucharest where we dominated and had plenty of chances but could not make them count.

"The quality ball just let us down again here, but once we get that fixed we will be OK."

He continued: "We let ourselves down in the last 25 yards. At the moment we are a good side but not a great one and to be even better we need the final pass to be better.

"It is a mental thing really, like a golfer having to sink a four-foot putt.

"Sometimes you are on your own against pressure and at the moment pressure is winning against our lads.

"Sometimes in your career or games you reach a crisis point which will determine whether you are good or great.

"At the moment we are good but not great.

"Great players can produce that final bit of magic. We are not bad but we can get better."

The draw was a good point away from home and did at least break Saints' three match losing streak.

Strachan agreed it was important not to lose again and praised the efforts of his players.

"After losing the last three it was important to get something here," he said.

"The lads have worked so hard that they deserved something from this one.

"Everton have a similar work ethic to us - they work very hard and play with good spirit.

"But good players decide games, but our really good players did not do enough to win it - although in many ways it was James Beattie's best all-round game of the season and Brett Ormerod worked extremely hard.

"All the players battled hard. They had a long midweek trip and a big disappointment.

"To ask them all to go again, and for them to work so hard, was quite something."