AT TIMES of need, heroes often come from the most unlikeliest of places.

So it proved last night when 18-year-old Dexter Blackstock announced his arrival with a 30-minute second-half hat-trick.

The youngster from Oxford has hardly had the best time to come into the team with Saints decimated by injuries, on a terrible run of form and not scoring in the league.

Yet, just as it seemed Saints were heading for a disaster - a defeat to a League One side at home in the Carling Cup - a new hero was made.

It's so often the way.

The proven goal-scorers like Beattie, Phillips and Crouch, although now all injured, weren't prolific before they were out.

Indeed, Blackstock's hat-trick makes him top scorer for the season!

But when head coach Steve Wigley needed something out of the ordinary, it was perhaps predictable in the magical, fairytale world that is football that it would come from an unlikely source.

Who knows whether Blackstock will stay in the team when the big names return?

Who knows what the future holds for a talented young player taking his first steps on the road to potential stardom?

But what we do know is that he was the saviour last night. He saved the club and the head coach a whole lot of problems. Who knows what sort of a run he might have started?

The goals weren't spectacular. They weren't superb individual efforts. They were the kind where you say 'he had to be there to score them'.

But they were vital.

Colchester were not only spirited opposition but a good team capable of sharp passing, good movement and dangerous from set-pieces.

Often they looked the Premiership side against a Saints team that struggled to keep their footing on the wet surface, gave the ball away too often in midfield and regularly looked vulnerable from set pieces.

After a sharp opening from Colchester, it was not a surprise to see them take the lead. Saints failed to defend a second ball from a corner and Blackburn loanee Neil Danns finished from close range.

Colchester then had to weather a storm of pressure from Saints but got through to half-time 1-0 up and without their keeper, 19-year-old Dean Gerken who was playing only his sixth first-team game, having been particularly troubled.

At half-time Wigley introduced Blackstock and Paul Telfer - and what a difference they made.

Telfer's presence in the middle was vital. There was nothing fancy about it but Saints were keeping possession and there was also a drive about Telfer that told you he was a man with a point to prove.

Within five minutes of the re-start a low inswinging free kick from Telfer was met by a simple run and tap-in from Blackstock.

Just four minutes later Saints were in the lead when Gerken could only palm Anders Svensson's low side-footed shot back into play where Blackstock was alert enough to follow in and finish.

Just when you thought Colchester might have had their spirit broken and might have folded, they hit back.

After missing a free header Greg Halford was played in by Craig Fagan, following Claus Lundekvam's slip, and produced a neat finish to level the scores.

There followed a period of intense pressure from the visitors, who couldn't quite manage to take another chance to get themselves ahead again.

Antti Niemi had to make three stops, though fairly routine, while there were other scrambles Saints were happy to escape from unscathed.

Colchester's chances culminated in Fagan again playing in Halford, but as he went to pull the trigger Jelle van Damme, exciting all night, slid in with a wonderful last-ditch challenge.

That was the turning point. Colchester had their chances and had missed them and were made to pay.

With ten minutes remaining Telfer's right-wing free kick was met by the head of Blackstock, who calmly took his chance and earned his side a passage to the fourth round.

It was certainly a traditional cup tie in every sense and, as ever in these situations, getting through is everything.

Sure, it wasn't the most convincing win - but at least the nightmare of defeat was averted.

Perhaps the young players are the best to play in these situations - they have no fear.

Blackstock most certainly didn't and, when his chance came, he took it.

It's still a world away from the Premiership, but who knows what might happen at Arsenal on Saturday?

Football is a funny old game.