SAINTS were on top for most of the game but the Championship’s best defence held firm as Ipswich Town saw out a 1-0 win at St Mary’s.

Omari Hutchinson’s goal, which was a gift after Shea Charles conceded possession in his own half after 30 minutes, gave the visitors enough to protect.

Saints combusted for the remaining quarter of an hour in the half as the expectant atmosphere weighed heavy and they were lucky not to be two behind.

However, Che Adams fired a one-on-one straight at the goalkeeper early in the second half as Saints got back on top but they would not go that close again as they fell to a third straight defeat.

Manager Russell Martin made only one change to his starting XI against Leicester City and that was enforced, with Joe Aribo making his first start in place of the injured Flynn Downes.

It meant the same back four to face third in the Championship, with the Nigerian international slotting into a midfield with Will Smallbone at the base.

Ahead of the match, players and staff wore black armbands and a minute’s applause following the tragic passing of former academy youngster Ben Cull was impeccably observed.

Saints started the half solid, having conceded in the first minute of their last two, and had limited Ipswich to 0.03 expected goals almost 30 minutes in.

Ipswich thought they were ahead inside 10 as they scrambled over the line from a corner but it was ruled out for foul in the skirmish.

Their eventual opener was another gift, though, with Hutchinson snatching from Charles in the danger third and getting on the end of the resulting ball to finish off the post.

Regular chances then came for Ipswich as Saints failed to deal with the atmosphere souring, while Aribo almost handed the visitors the second.

After he had panicked in possession, Conor Chaplin clipped a chip off the crossbar and the resulting rebound was somehow turned behind.

Whatever Martin said at half-time seemed to work, though, as Saints came out with intent and should have equalised as the creative Kyle Walker-Peters played to Adams.

However – he Scottish international hit goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky one-on-one, before Gavin Bazunu produced a top stop to deny Chaplin at the other end.

Martin looked to capitalise on the momentum with a triple-change and substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana’s low ball into a packed box was attacked unsuccessfully by A Armstrong.

Saints mounted an onslaught with half-chances for Adams and Smallbone all falling away as they entered the final 20 minutes.

Everything they threw at Ipswich Town, whose three clean sheets coming into this was Championship-leading, was blocked behind.

Ryan Manning stung the palms of Hladky from range but momentum was sapped as Kamaldeen pushed in the back to concede a free-kick while the ball looped just outside the box.

Martin continued to roll the dice with the introduction of Charly Alcaraz and Sekou Mara but Saints failed to produce anything meaningful as seven added minutes slipped away.

Saints: Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Charles, Harwood-Bellis, Manning; Smallbone (Alcaraz, 76) Aribo (Bednarek, 56), A Armstrong (Mara, 85); Edozie (S Armstong, 56), Fraser (Sulemana, 56), Adams. 

Unused Subs: McCarthy, Holgate, Bree, Amo-Ameyaw. 

Booked: Harwood-Bellis, Adams. 

Ipswich Town: Hladky; Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Williams (Ball, 70); Morsy, Taylor (Luongo, 56); Burns, Chaplin (Harness, 80), Hutchinson (Broadhead, 80); Hirst (Scarlett, 70). 

Unused Subs: Slicker, Evans, Ladapo, Humphrey. 

Booked: Williams, Taylor. 

Referee: Josh Smith. 

Attendance: 27,265. 

Goals: Hutchinson 30’. Assist: Chaplin.