SAINTS 1 --- SPURS 0

"I'm going to enjoy this victory, stay satisfied and look forward to the next one, with Del Boy and Rodney Trotter on the box this evening, a Coke, and a big bag of crisps."

When someone pointed out that "Only Fools and Horses" had been screened on Christmas Day, Strachan didn't really have a care - he'd settle for the second part of the "Lost World" instead.

In fact all the Southampton manager really cared about was claiming three crucial points.

You sensed Strachan was bursting with pride following this battling win over Tottenham - an important victory barely four days after that psychological bruising which was inflicted at Old Trafford.

This game could so easily have become distracted by the side issue of Glenn Hoddle and Dean Richards' return to the south coast.

Both took a fair bit of stick from the record-breaking crowd. Although the most heated confrontation all afternoon was a bit of finger-jabbing and verbals between Gordon Strachan and Spurs assistant John Gorman, after a touchline clash between Chris Marsden and Mauricio Taricco which required the intervention of fourth official, Paul Durkin.

But after a patchy first half performance which Tottenham edged in terms of possession and dominance, Saints turned it around.

"People will laugh at this, but the sun was a proper pain in the first half," offered Chris Marsden. "You couldn't see when you were bringing the ball down. We hung in and defended well in the first half - that was the main thing."

Goalkeeper Paul Jones was alert to block Christian Ziege's close-range effort after 20 minutes, and then Paul Williams combined with Wayne Bridge to snuff out the lively Teddy Sheringham with a crucial tackle on the edge of the penalty area.

In fact Williams, who only trained lightly yesterday morning after picking up a groin strain during the Manchester United game, was immense. He and Claus Lundekvam worked well in tandem to thwart the dangerous Sheringham-Ferdinand combination.

Tottenham's best chance fell to Les Ferdinand right on the stroke of half-time when the ball neatly dropped to him from Darren Anderton's corner, but the ex-England man found the back of the Northam Stand with a crisp left-foot strike.

"If we had scored in that period of time we would have gone on and won the game," insisted Hoddle. "It was an eerie sort of feeling at half-time. We knew Southampton were going to respond after that, they couldn't play as poorly as that, and not getting a goal was always going to be a slight problem."

Strachan gave his team a roasting. He accused them of playing "scared football", hoping that Tottenham would make the mistakes rather than his players taking the initiative by going out to win the game. "We weren't brave enough on the ball," said Strachan.

The wise words had the desired effect as, in the words of Hoddle, Saints came out with a "spring in their step".

Anders Svensson was denied by a world class save from Neil Sullivan within a minute of the re-start. The Swede nipped on to a through ball from Jason Dodd, and the Spurs keeper blocked the shot from close range.

In fact, Sullivan had a storming second half. He denied Marian Pahars with another stunning save 20 minutes later after Svensson and Chris Marsden had prised open the Spurs defence, and later denied Rory Delap, tipping behind his stinging drive.

But the Scot was beaten after 55 minutes. Not the prettiest goal in the world, but they all count, after Williams struck a hit-and-hope ball towards the Spurs' 18 yard box, James Beattie nipped in behind Richards, jumped with Sullivan and got his head to the ball first.

Sometimes the referee will blow for the challenge on the goalkeeper, but Loughborough official Peter Jones didn't even think twice - goal. "It was a good goal - a good goal from our point of view and in terms of someone being really brave," explained Strachan.

"I think James really deserved that for all the hard work he has put in since I have been here. He has got a big heart and is getting better."

Hoddle wheeled and dealed his substitutes, threw on Sergei Rebrov and played three up front to chase the game. But Saints looked relatively comfortable. Jones made one excellent fingertip save from Darren Anderton after 70 minutes, and Williams was brave inside his own six-yard box to snuff out Guy Poyet as he honed in on an Anderton cross at the far post.

Four wins out of six, and the third successive clean sheet at St Mary's to leave some daylight between Saints and the bottom three. "I think we deserved the win from the chances we created," said goalkeeper Jones. "Getting the three points and moving clear is what it is all about. Now we have to continue picking up the points and to stay clear."