Do Southampton have the steeliness needed to win promotion?

They continued their relentless march towards the Premier League, looking to seal a double promotion not unlike Southampton's. 

For Russell Martin's side, it was a hammer blow to the gut after the first 60 minutes were among the best of their season. 

Saints should have been out of sight with a third goal but the Portman Road atmosphere got on top of them and they succumbed. 

It took the total points they had dropped from winning positions this season to 20, surrendering leads on nine occasions. 

Saints have been leading in 31 matches in the Championship this season, going on to draw seven and lose two of those. 

Southampton saw their automatic promotion hopes dashed at Portman Road (Image: PA)

It is a record worse than their promotion rivals, who can no longer count on two hands the points they boast over fourth place. 

Leeds have not lost after going ahead this campaign, while Ipswich and Leicester have dropped points on fewer occasions than Saints. 

It is not only points dropped from winning positions but the manner of some of those defeats where Saints were never really in it. 

The four consecutive defeats in September led to some painful introspection while losses against 'suicide press' systems Bristol City and Hull City spooked Martin into tampering with his defence. 

In September, Martin insisted: "There is scar tissue and some of the lads have that playing at the moment.

"I think it’s quite evident when we have a disappointment on the pitch it really hurts us and really affects us." 

The psychology of football was one of the first things Martin noticed needed a lift after the early defeats this season. 

Russell Martin on the touchline at Portman Road (Image: PA)

It is one of the reasons he values vocal captain Jack Stephens so much, and certainly one reason he has changed his defence for him. 

Martin brought in Drewe Broughton - known as The Fear Coach - to support himself and the players in the emotional side of performance. 

But mentality and ingrained apprehension are not something you can alter overnight, or over a few months. 

Eight of the 11 players who started the match at Portman Road were here and regularly involved in last season's relegation. 

Only Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes and Ryan Fraser are new signings - each of them on loan from a Premier League club. 

Saints chucking away a one-goal lead against 10-man Wolves on their home turf summed up the spirit of their Premier League 'fight' last year.

Jan Bednarek reacted to the late 2-1 loss against Wolves (Image: Stuart Martin)

Most of them are still here and playing vital roles as they look to regain promotion back to the top flight. 

It looks as though Saints must go through the playoffs if they want to achieve that given the growing gap with the top two. 

Eight of the last 11 playoff finals have been won by keeping a clean sheet, while last season's was a 1-1 draw settled with penalties. 

How much belief will Saints, who have conceded 51 goals in 38 matches, have that they can be that team on the day? 

Equally, they currently hold a record of just four wins from 14 attempts against the current Championship top 10 this season. 

However, Saints are also playing free-flowing, attacking football the likes of which has not been seen at St Mary's since Ronald Koeman. 

They average exactly two goals a game and have more shots (15.79 per 90') and shots on target (5.66 per 90') than any team in the league. 

Saints have more touches in the opposition half than any team and they make up a greater proportion of overall touches. 

Saints have breathed life back into St Mary's after a difficult few years (Image: PA)

The idea that Saints play safe, tepid football is simply a myth, although it might not be gung-ho into the box all the time. 

Another bonus of Martin's high-possession style is that Saints have only been losing in a league-low of 13 fixtures this season. 

And for the four goals Saints have conceded in the 90th minute or later, they have scored 10 - several of those winners. 

A maximum of eight points from the last eight games will guarantee Saints a playoff berth and 13 will secure a home second-leg semi-final.

After 38 matches last campaign, Southampton's current total of 74 points would have them inside the top two and ahead of Sheffield United. 

They have been the victim of circumstance - three of the greatest Championship seasons ever have happened above them. 

To disregard that fact completely is naive and unfair to all those involved with the club. 

From where Martin and his staff found this group of players - and from where the new bosses found the finances - to now is night and day. 

But there are problems to solve and just one month left to solve them.

Strap in.