JAMES BEATTIE hit the goal trail in dramatic fashion yesterday, sparking hopes for another of his famous scoring sprees.

The Saints striker, who has been centre of attention off the field after his drink-driving conviction, bounced back to form on it with a devastating hat-trick against Fulham.

It was his first in the Premiership and came on the back of a penalty against Aston Villa last Monday.

Beattie is one of the few Saints players to have figured in every match this season but has certainly found goals hard to come by.

But when Beattie gets going the goals don't rain in, they pour in. He is famed for scoring in spurts after the 2000/01 season when he went on a run which saw him net ten times in as many games.

He's started this time with four in two and Gordon Strachan was quick to praise his efforts. He said: "As anybody who watches Saints regularly knows, James Beattie is a barometer of our character level and our stamina level.

"James gives us that even when he's not scoring and is always our first line of defence - and when you see our defensive record, apart from this match, it's not bad.

"I think the response he has given is what his teammates were hoping for as well as me. They've been good to him and they know he'll be good to them.

"We would like success at this club but that can only go with the success of our strikers as they are the most important people in your team."

On his handling of Beattie since the drink-driving conviction Strachan added: "I just didn't speak about it. We have a club policy in that area so I didn't need to blast him or slam him.

"I wasn't going to join the bandwagon of criticism. I don't need the headlines, I don't want to be a celebrity I just want to be a football manager."

Beattie's first of the afternoon came from the penalty spot after 26 minutes when Brett Ormerod flicked the ball inside and on to the arm of the helpless Zak Knight.

Referee Mark Halsey awarded the spot-kick and Beattie's finish was as emphatic as they come - into the top corner of the net.

His second came three minutes before half-time when good work from Matthew Oakley allowed Fabrice Fernandes, who had another good game against his former club, to flight a beautiful ball to the far post.

Fulham's defence fell asleep but Beattie didn't and headed across Edwin Van Der Sar and into the far corner.

The hat-trick header was a flick from Anders Svensson's free-kick on 53 minutes that the Fulham keeper reached but could not keep out.

But before Beattie hit his treble, Saints had fallen two goals behind.

Lee Clark opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a run that caught the Saints defence on their heels and a shot that took a wicked deflection off the back of Michael Svensson, leaving Antti Niemi helpless.

They doubled their lead on 24 minutes thanks to some slack defending from Saints.

Steve Marlet played in Steve Finnan, who cut back from the by-line for Steed Malbranque to sidefoot home after the ball had rolled right across the penalty area without a Saints defender getting a foot in.

But then Beattie brought Saints back into the match, which was played in a fearsome wind, before Ormerod put the icing on the cake with a coolly-finished fourth.

Strachan admitted: "It was a very strange start to the game. The first 20 minutes of the game were dead.

"They scored a couple of goals but there was no atmosphere. I don't know if it was the wind or the clocks going back.

"But even though they'd scored a couple, I couldn't see them adding a third and, after that, the players - with no tactical changes or help from the crowd - did it themselves to get it back to 2-2.

"That was the theme of the half-time teamtalk - you have it within yourselves to go on and win the game now.

"At the end, it came down to our good players playing better than their good players and our defensive players being better than their defensive players."

There was an added bonus for Saints with the introduction of Ecuadorian striker Agustin Delgado 11 minutes from time.

He showed some nice touches and made Van Der Sar work for one save.

But, despite falling behind, Saints deserved this victory.

They were dominant in midfield with Matthew Oakley putting in an exceptional display and Anders Svensson also having his best game for a while.

The only concern for Strachan was the injury that threatened to put an early end to Wayne Bridge's 100th consecutive appearance for the club.

But the young England international gritted his teeth and soldiered on and hopes to be fit for next week's trip to Old Trafford.

FINAL VERDICT:

Take away the first 20 minutes and this was a top performance from Saints and a top hat-trick from James Beattie. Top half of the table is a position their form deserves.

Adam Leitch