WHAT A DAY for Saints - three wins in a row, the Premiership's leading scorer playing up front and a leap to eighth in the table after 17 games.

It seems that Gordon Strachan and his men can do little wrong at the moment and this was yet another fine win.

As ever, it was built on hard work and a solid-as-rock back line, all four of whom reduced Birmingham's threat to little more than set plays and long-range efforts.

In midfield, Saints controlled the game as they have on so many occasions in the last few months, even without the influential figure of suspended Chris Marsden.

In attack, Brett Ormerod was lively and what can you say about James Beattie?

After facing Manchester City on October 5, Beattie's tally read nine Premiership appearances (two as sub), no goals.

In the eight matches since he has scored a mind-boggling 11 times.

Beattie's previous runs have been ended by injury and, at the moment at least, it feels as if that is the only way this one could end. It's not clear what it is about the man but he just knows how to score.

He's in the right place at the right time, finishes clinically and, boy, can he take a mean penalty.

This week's was his fifth in five from the spot this season - and his fourth in consecutive home matches - and was once again the turning point in the game.

He slotted it home on 60 minutes after referee Jeff Winter adjudged that Darren Purse had deliberately handled Wayne Bridge's left wing cross in the area.

It seemed a harsh decision as Bridge did give his cross a frightful smack, but Beattie kept his nerve and fired into the bottom corner of the net, sending keeper Nico Vaesen the wrong way.

The penalty decision was predictably not very popular with Purse who said: "I didn't handle it. I think the TV replays will show that but it's one of those decisions that change games.

"I'm not having a go at the referee but he made a split second decision and he thought the ball hit me. We were happy at 0-0 but that incident changed the game.

"It's those inconsistencies that are annoying and maybe refs have got to pick up on - I hope we get a bit of luck in the next few months to even this out.

"We'd had a couple of clean sheets rec-ently so to concede a penalty after 60 minutes was a big blow and a hole opened up as we pushed forward and they got the second.

"Our forwards never got going and that ended up putting pressure on the defence."

Blues boss Steve Bruce agreed: "I'm not trying to make excuses, because, on the day, our performance didn't warrant anything more than a goalless draw, but I felt the turning point was the ref's decision.

"I didn't think it was a penalty but if he gives that decision then he should have given us a penalty at the other end ten minutes later. That's why we're unhappy.

"The whole decision has left us baffled, confused and angry and all I'm asking for is a bit of consistency.

"The ref has a very difficult job to do but if he gives one decision, he has to give the other. I didn't think either was a penalty but I think things might have been different had we been playing at St Andrews."

Indeed, it was only moments after Beattie's penalty that Oliver Tebily fired in a shot from the edge of the Saints area which deflected off the Southampton striker for a corner - Birmingham appealed for handball but, this time, it wasn't given.

But, although that was the turning point, Saints always had control of the game, even if Birmingham did push them back in brief spells.

In a relatively uneventful first half, Anders Svensson had a shot from 12-yards well saved after Beattie got to the by-line and pulled back.

Vaesen also had to save from Brett Ormerod while, seconds later, Damien Johnson had to head Svensson's corner off the line.

Birmingham had their only meaningful openings in the first half when Clinton Morrison fired across goal on five minutes and later mishit a shot which gave Paul Jones, replacing the injured Antti Niemi, his only real action. Stern John also missed the ball when he received a low cross.

As Saints really started to run the game in the second half, winning individual battles all over the pitch, more chances came.

Anders Svensson had two more good openings he might have made more of and Michael Svensson came close but it was that man Beattie who sealed the three points.

With space starting to open up as Birmingham pushed for an equaliser, sub Jo Tessem crossed low from the right wing.

Anders Svensson did a half-backheel half-dummy for Beattie, who stormed in at the far post to tap home.

Saints and Beattie are moving on up.