SAINTS manager Russell Martin was defiant in defence of his principles as he called for understanding, albeit following “two really difficult results.”

The boss was speaking ahead of the visit of in-momentum Ipswich Town to St Mary’s on Tuesday, following defeats to Sunderland and Leicester City.

Saints conceded nine goals in those two while conceding in the first minute of both matches. Their defensive record is the worst in the EFL.

However, Martin, who is sticking to his guns on principles he worked through at MK Dons and Swansea City, insists he is “relaxed” about the process.

“We are talking after two games, two really difficult results,” he said. “Before that, I’m sure people were talking really positively about the club and seeing the signs of what’s to come.

“Results dictate everything in football. Not in here, we’ve had a really brilliant couple of days discussing what went wrong and what went right and how we could have capitalised more.

“We will be better than we were on Friday and if we win tomorrow, we are in a good place and everyone is a bit more positive.

“We are quite far away from where we want to be and how we want to look but I’m also very proud of how far some of them have come.

“If we were building off the back of similar work someone had done, in manner, style and game model, it would be easier.

“We are trying to change so much so I am quite relaxed about that. People will feel how they feel but I’m relaxed about it, we will win more games than we don’t.

“I’m not going to let the two results impact the work we do and how we feel. We have to work on some things, that is really clear.

“We need to concede fewer goals but it’s not like there’s a pattern to many of them, they’re all so different – apart from the restarts – and we’re working through that.”

He added: “When you haven’t been used to winning, when you score you feel relief rather than the winning to go on and drive that.

“It’s also game management, we’ve given chances to teams too early in the game by going backwards too early, giving up territory too early – we’re building the players about that.”

Saints had won 10 points from their first four Championship fixtures under Martin, with victories against Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle and QPR.

Martin understands the expectation to land promotion this season, set out ahead of the campaign by director of football Jason Wilcox.

Still 40 matches remain between now and the end of May. He concedes, however, that his side needs to quickly eradicate their defensive issues.

“I think we have to find a way to help the players manage the game without going away from what’s important to us,” Martin said.

“We spoke about that on Friday and still ended up doing it so it has to be a bit of anxiety or us not beating the message home enough.

“To do this, you have to go through a certain amount of pain to grow. Unless you’re given £100million to sign the best players in the world.

“If it was easy, I think more people would try to do it. The pain now will help us later in the season and make it more enjoyable when it clicks. 

“Both clubs I have been at previously have had to get through a lot of pain to get where we wanted and by the end, the feeling we had with the players and the understanding they had, the results they had and the way they played was beautiful to watch.

“I’ve got no doubt it will be the same here. We just need to speed up the process a bit and keep helping the players grow.

"So often, the response to pain in football is to shut up shop. Our job is to help the players through it."