SAINTS manager Nathan Jones admitted labelling this week as tough is an “understatement” but shared his pride for the group after an FA Cup third round win at Crystal Palace.

The visitors came from going behind early on to Odsonne Eduoard and capitalised on goalkeeping errors to score through James Ward-Prowse and Adam Armstrong, with the score finishing 2-1. 

It is only a second win of Jones’s tenure as manager and is the second to come in cup competition, with four straight defeats leaving them rock-bottom of the Premier League.

But after losing to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on Wednesday at St Mary’s, and being subject to angry chants from his own supporters, Jones enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate a victory.

READ MORE: Armstrong's winner gives Jones reprieve and secures FA Cup progression

“A tough week is an understatement really in terms of everything, but no, it is really important,” the Welshman said, speaking after the match at Selhurst Park.

Daily Echo:

“We bounced back with a performance and a win, but we got both today. You know, we got a real hard-working, solid performance. I thought at times we were excellent in possession.

“In the first half we had to get to grips with the game. Then we really went after that and I'm really pleased with the aggression we showed and the intent to win the game,” Jones added.

“After the tough start, and with everything that's been going on, we showed real character today and I’m really proud of the group.”

With Saints looking disorganised and demotivated halfway through the first period, Saints supporters audibly chanted ‘Nathan Jones, your football is s**t’ so the whole ground could hear it.

It followed deafening boos at full-time of Wednesday’s loss, after which Kyle Walker-Peters told the Daily Echo he felt the squad didn’t deserve any more.

Asked if coming from behind and holding onto a win, which saw Palace push for a leveller deep into five minutes of added time, displayed character, Jones responded: “It absolutely does.

“It is part and parcel of being a manager and it's part of us being a Premier League manager because it’s a tough job and the toughest league in the world, you can get hurt in an instant because of the quality, the speed and everything it is.

“So whether you structurally do it or not the times you can just get hurt, we got hurt the other day from one error.

“We needed to be better and do certain things, but we're trying to build something so yeah, I’m really proud of the group and we’re proud of my coaching staff and everything for how we've reacted, and how we made decisions to get to the point today where we could win a football game.”

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