LEE Barnard admitted his first Saints goals came as a “big relief.”

The January signing from Southend was expected to make an instant impact, such has been his scoring prowess for the Shrimpers this season.

But as the 25-year-old has adapted to life at a different club it has taken him a few weeks to settle down.

Daily Echo: Click below to see a video of today's headlines in sixty seconds

Though he arrived at Saints with 17 goals to his name, including 15 in the league, the £175,000 signing had failed to score in his opening five appearances for Alan Pardew’s men.

Two of those games had been as a late sub, just two minutes at Exeter and 19 against Pompey in the FA Cup.

Now he has he shown what he is capable of with a brace that ended the 11-game Carrow Road winning streak of League One leaders Norwich.

He said: “When you come to a new club you want to get off the mark as quickly as possible.

“I’ve had a couple of chances in past games which haven’t gone for me, so to finally get off the mark is a big relief."

Full story in today's Daily Echo