MARK Wotte is confident Saints will still survive, despite missing a chance to escape the Championship relegation zone for the first time in 2009.

Saturday’s 0-0 draw with QPR meant Saints remain second from bottom.

Had they taken three points, they would have leapfrogged Barnsley and Nottingham Forest, who both lost at the weekend.

Saints have been in the bottom three ever since their 1-1 draw with Reading on December 28.

But Wotte is happy their fate is still in their own hands – although he said they must find a way to start winning again after three matches without a victory.

Saints trail Barnsley by just one point, but the Tykes have two games in hand.

The first of those two games is at home to Crystal Palace at Oakwell tomorrow.

Wotte’s men are two points adrift of Forest, who now have a poorer goal difference after their 5-0 defeat to Burnley.

Forest, who have lost six and won two of their last 10 games, have also played a game more.

Saints are also three points behind Norwich, with a game in hand.

Despite Saturday’s disappointing draw, Wotte is pleased the table is closing up at the bottom.

“That’s an advantage, if you don’t win and the results go a little bit your way then that is keeping the confidence of course,” he said.

“If you don’t win we are not very happy, but if you see the other results and everything is coming closer and closer then, with a game in hand, we still have it in our own hands."

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