SAINTS put out a strong cast in their head-to-head with the return of Dirty Den last night - but they were always unlikely to compete with the Maradona of soap opera in the popularity stakes.

Yet it proved a good evening's entertainment for those 1,611 who opted for Steve Wigley' s reserve team in favour of the East End's version of the Champions League.

Saints played some good football as they comfortably beat Nottingham Forest Reserves 3-0, with two goals coming from Jo Tessem and one from Brett Ormerod.

Norwegian Tessem may have been out of the limelight for slightly less than Den Watts' 14 years, but proved just how much he too would welcome a return to the main stage.

Indeed, he could easily have had a first-half hat-trick.

After just 20 seconds he was set free, yet opted to square the ball back when a shot looked the better option.

But he made no mistake in the 20th minute when he got on the end of a powerful header direct from centre-back Fitz Hall to comfortably round Forest 'keeper Pascal Formann and open the scoring.

Ten minutes later he almost doubled the lead, but his effort from a Leandre Griffit cross just drifted over.

But Tessem, who looked lively throughout, comfortably finished another excellent cross from the impressive Griffit on 75 minutes.

Saints boss Gordon Strachan stressed during the summer that the Frenchman would be given time to develop with the reserves and he again looked a constant menace last night as he searched for his fifth in just eight matches.

Griffit was played wide on the left, but looked equally comfortable cutting inside to create problems for Forest from all areas of the pitch.

With Saints short of goals from midfield, the Carling Cup tie against Bristol City in a month's time could possibly provide an ideal introduction to first-team action.

Saints' final goal came in injury time thanks to a brilliant control and lay-off from Arron Davies, who released Ormerod to fire home.

Ormerod, who has yet to start a first team match this season, will be one of the players competing for a place alongside James Beattie - as will Tessem - when Kevin Phillips starts his suspension next month.

Davies also went close himself, but his second-half effort from 25-yards out flew off the post.

Another who could soon be knocking on the door of the first-team squad is Hall who, as well setting up Tessem's opener, looked totally assured both in the air and on the ground.

Rory Delap, Danny Higginbotham and Anders Svensson, who asked to play last night after starting only one of Saints' last seven first-team matches, all came through without any injury problems.

It was Saints' sixth consecutive win to stay top of the reserve team table.

Reserve team manager Wigley said: "We have had some good results, but we were helped by some good players last night.

"It's nice to win, it's a good habit and long may it continue.

"Good players can make it easy for you, but playing with them you can make it hard for yourself by being a little bit nervous.

"But I felt the younger players acquitted themselves well.

"It's important that both strikers scored, because you get the feel-good factor and they will be pleased."

Saints: Niemi, Green, Cranie, Delap (Blackstock 76), Hall, Higginbotham, Davies, A Svensson (Gleeson 79), Ormerod, Tessem (Surman 76), Griffit. Unused subs: Blayney, Mills.

Booked: Blackstock (foul).

Referee: M Mullarkey (Exeter).

Att. 1,611.