BOSS Russell Martin claimed Saints can only focus on themselves as they fell 12 points behind Ipswich Town in the Championship automatic promotion places.

Saints were limited to a 1-1 draw at Coventry City after Haji Wright's opening goal was pegged back by substitute Sam Edozie to stretch their unbeaten run to 13 games.

Despite maintaining a run without defeat, Saints have fallen away from the top two with three draws in their last five matches.

Martin has been missing key man Flynn Downes through illness for the trips to in-form Watford and Coventry. 

Speaking after the match, the manager said: “All we can do is just focus on ourselves and keep growing.

"I’m really proud of where the team is now, there’s been some frustrating results in that run, Rotherham draw, Huddersfield draw, then we’ve won games late.

“I’m really proud of the players, our job is to continue to grow, focus on ourselves and see where it takes us," Martin continued.

"Any other season, the last seven or eight, we’d be in the top two or within one or two points, so we can’t impact that. Two teams have made an incredible start.

“They score more goals than us, is the one thing they have over us at the minute. We don’t put games to bed, we should score a couple tonight but we don’t, and that’s the next step for us.

“The reaction to going 1-0 down, because we haven’t been behind for a while, was fantastic. The subs had a brilliant impact.

“The last 10 minutes became open because they’re trying to win, we’re trying to win, nobody was hanging on.”