SOMETIMES you need to take a step back before you can move forward and it seems Steve Wigley has managed it.

The signing of Andreas Jakobsson and his performance on his debut - and that of the whole Saints team - was a world away from what we have seen so far this season.

Yes, there were no goals. Yes, the entertainment value was pretty low. Yes, we all miss the excitement of the goal-laden first few games.

But what no Saints supporter, or player for that matter, misses is conceding a hatful of goals.

It had been 12 games without a clean sheet coming into last night's match at The Valley and, after a two-week break with much worrying about Saints' prospects for the season, something was needed to provide some cheer.

Hard to believe that a 0-0 draw would be just that tonic but it certainly was.

Saints have not looked right defensively since Michael Svensson got injured in March.

There's no shame in that, because he's one of the best centre-halves in the Premier-ship and almost any team in the league would miss him.

Despite plenty of hard work in that time, a centre-half pairing that looks totally comfortable has not been forthcoming.

It might sound like a bad joke but when you lose one Swede in defence what do you need? Another Swede to replace him.

So in came Jakobsson. He was industrious, solid, workmanlike, boring. He was perfect for the job.

Of the fans that made the trip to Charlton many were probably fearing the worst.

But they were to be pleasantly surprised, both by Charlton's ineptitude in the final third and by Saints' prudence in that same area.

Saints might well have won this game but they can take plenty of heart, as well as a good point, from it.

In so many ways, a 0-0 is more heartening result than a 3-2 win could have been. More boring but more heartening.

Saints will need to find plenty of goals in their locker again if they are to thrive this season.

But to prevent them wilting and scrapping around the lower reaches of the Premiership, they need to become hard to beat again.

They did it here.

Saints were not only good at the back but, in the centre of midfield, Rory Delap and David Prutton looked strong as well.

They are two similar players with good engines that get about the pitch and break up play.

It's true they don't create much and it sometimes looks uncomfortable having them both in that area but, last night, they won their battle comprehensively, albeit aided by Charlton's weakness in that area.

The first half was fairly turgid stuff and there was probably not many neutrals watching on television that stuck it out.

Antti Niemi made a couple of stops from Francis Jeffers and the lively Dennis Rommedahl while James Beattie couldn't quite get a touch on Claus Lundekvam's header in front of goal and fired a long range drive at Dean Kiely.

In the second period, the game opened up a little more and Saints always looked the more likely of the sides to break the deadlock.

Charlton lacked confidence in their passing and gave away possession on a regular basis while Saints pushed on.

Graeme Le Saux's low free-kick threatened to creep goalwards while Kevin Phillips rounded Kiely and tried to cross from an acute angle but also found his effort blocked.

Prutton hit a low blast which Kiely got his body behind to keep it out but Saints' best two chances both came the way of Delap.

On 59 minutes, Anders Svensson had a good opportunity in the box that he couldn't make the most of but did well to retain possession and lay the ball back to Delap.

The Irishman managed to get the ball out from under his feet and fire it goalwards, where Kiely produced a magnificent save to reach to the top corner where it was headed and turn it over.

Into injury-time and the presence of Peter Crouch couldn't be matched and the striker directed a header goalwards.

Delap was just a few yards from the line and any sort of touch would have taken it in.

But he couldn't quite get his body in the right place and Kiely just managed to get down and Charlton hacked it away from goal.

The win wasn't to be but one isn't far away if Saints remain this solid at the back.