Saints once again put in a workmanlike performance that is becoming a trademark of this season.

Saints won their third away win in a week with yet another performance that saw keeper Fraser Forster without a save of note to make, this win is even more satisfying as it was done with three key members of the squad out injured, another two away on International duty and a sixth on the bench having not played in over six weeks.

With 14 minutes gone Saints took the lead with a well worked goal that is becoming their trademark, José Fonte played a ball up to Pelle who rose to chest it down to James Ward Prowse who threaded a nicely waited pass to Eljero Elia whose low shot was low and crisp and in truth should have been saved by Krul, but that should not take anything away from Elia who had to make the run and under pressure get in the shot.

The equaliser on 29 minutes was an unforced error from Florin Gardos, the through ball was about to be smothered by Forster when Gardos decided to take no chances and clear the ball, unfortunately the clearance hit the knee of Gouffran who was running in but had no real idea of it happening.

But Saints didn't let this setback throw them out of their stride and like in the previous two games this week they were happy to let Newcastle have possession and deal with attacks comfortably.

But the game needed a winner for Saints and once again Koeman showed that he knows when and how to make a substitution, bringing on Cork and Long with half an hour remaining, the reason was two fold, firstly to bring on fresh legs to make sure the home side did not turn possession into pressure and secondly to offer the finishing and running of Long.

The move paid off within two minutes Reed headed clear and Long rose to guide his header right into the path of Elia who again did what e needed too.

From then on it was never in doubt with the only real worrying moment being when Fonte appeared to handle the ball, luckily the ref didn't agree with the appealling home players and Saints survived tis late scare.

Perhaps the most satisfying win of the week, maybe the season as it was done under such adversity, the loss of Alderweireld, Schneiderlin and Wanyama, arguably our three best players would rock any side in the Premier, the fact that we have taken it in our stride and won three tough games away from home in a week ending with this one with a truly depleted squad is very pleasing, but even more pleasing is seeing how the fringe players like Harrison Reed and Matt Targett to name but two have stepped up to the plate.

Not to mention Eljero Elia who showed that he is a great addition to the squad with his pace and ability to get the ball on target, both of his goals had an element of luck about them, but the fact is you have to get it on target and make your own luck and Elia did that.

Only real downside was that although in the main we were clinical at the back, the goal showed we have to make sure we don't get complacent and on a couple of occasions we didn't mark up at set pieces as we should have done but luckily Newcastle could not capitalise.

But these are minor issues that I'm sure we will learn from, this season has been one of watching a side learn with every game and use that knowledge to improve, this we have done and done well.

Photo: Action Images

densham41 added 11:38 - Jan 18 This is the best bloody dream I have ever had. Please don't wake me up!
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tiptop added 11:59 - Jan 18 Agreed. Workman like performance. Third game in a week. We'll take that! AS RK keeps repeating 'good organisation'. Elia will get better. Not as quick as Mane i think but has qualities that will hopefully blossom under RK. Great to see JC back. His quality and can help us through the next few weeks. Harry Reed too will grow in the coming games. He was made to look a little light weight against the muscular Sissoko - but is energetic, tenacious and assured in his DM role. Now those doubting our right as a club to reach for the top four must be smiling. The pundits are denying us plaudits no longer. Unrealistic ambition? Cortese's way crazy dream? Not any longer. The club is under a sounder footing and has had the pull to get RK who is proving to be something very special for saints. Everton in the last few seasons were the benchmark for us to aim for. The mentality of that club was we can reach the champions league. We are NOW beginning to adop that into our belief going forward - Sensibly and sustainably while growing the sense of together as one planted by NA. I just hope we can maintain the quality and results in the coming weeks with the depleted squad.

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LesVivian added 12:27 - Jan 18 Fraser Forster should have had the ball for their goal - Gardos was expecting him, and tried to clear when he realised Forster was not coming! Fonte lucky to not concede a nailed-on penalty! But a great performance from Saints - winning away regularly by working hard, and sticking to their plan. Reed and Targett both following the tradition of young players stepping up when needed.

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saintmark1976 added 12:51 - Jan 18 LesVivian, a little harsh on Forster aren't you.These things happen,get over it. I agree with you about the non penalty though.Maybe as we become a "bigger team" refs will treat us better,the regular culprits Man Unt, Arsenal ,Chelsea etc etc have been getting away with it for years.
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PezzaSaint added 13:27 - Jan 18 For me Forster needs to be more commanding in 'his' area. Cost us against Villa and Utd, luckily we got away with it yesterday. Got to agree with densham about the dream, who says they can't come true?!
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davepid added 14:03 - Jan 18 Pizzasaint is spot on with Forster. Villa was a difficult decision but yesterday's was a no brainer. Also, He should have come for the Utd cross at home , and the away Utd cross he flapped when slightly out of position and which could have cost us a point. We should expect better from a player who cost us ten million.
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schatfield added 14:33 - Jan 18 we were lucky that the ref didnt give the penalty at the end for jose's handball, if it was the other way round, we would all be saying the ref cheated us
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BoondockSaint added 15:20 - Jan 18 Looks like we are now being taken seriously by the FA-getting a No Call on a penalty because we were playing a team lower in the pecking order. Agree on Forster, he sometimes looks switched off during games. Hopefully it's from boredom. Elia had a great game tracking back as well! Hopefully he keeps this attitude. Only worry is his parent club says "Thanks for sorting him out, Ron! We'll have him back now!" Speaking of RoKo, has Katharina got that lifetime contract ready yet?

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FrankSaint added 15:47 - Jan 18 koeman is turning out to be a football manager of genius and he is our genius. Does anyone know how to say Le God in Dutch? ;-)
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ExiledSupporter added 16:18 - Jan 18 Agree with several other correspondents that Forster was more to blame than Gardos. Forster has a slightly unsure element to his game which results in some uncertainty at key moments and has contributed to at least three goals against in recent memory Also a little concerned that our passing in the opposition's final side of the field has deteriorated, some of our passes into the area leave Pelle little chance to convert a higher percentage of chances, in particular Tadic has been noticeably deficient after such high standards earlier in the season. I also think he has a bit too much to say for himself on the pitch with too much of a tendency for histrionics. Nonetheless a fantastic few weeks with full honours to RK as already indisputably the the most astute manager we have ever had in all aspects of his role.

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ExiledSupporter added 16:22 - Jan 18 I should have also said that he appears to be a completely decent and honourable bloke who has gained the trust and loyalty of all his players, pore than his immediate predecessor even.
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LesVivian added 18:06 - Jan 18 I wasn't being overly harsh on Forster - for such a big man he should dominate the six-yard box! He is a little indecisive, and somewhat of a 'line-sticker' - however, Peter Shilton was a line-sticker too, and look how good he was! Line-stickers need to be good shot-stoppers, and Forster is (so was Shilton!). What I think is that he should be out grabbing the six-yard box crosses, and flattening everyone in his way!

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heroholmes1 added 22:49 - Jan 18 Three away wins in a week!!! We wouldn't win 3 in a season in the 90's Great to see the fringe players showing they can get results Gardos needs games at this level but looks to have real class Harrison Reed will be loved by the fans if he carries on like this everyone loves a fighter when they play for your team
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NorwegianSaint added 05:25 - Jan 19 Getting annoyed with all the talk about this "penalty" 1) If it was given then Fraser probably would have saved it. 2) Colback handled the ball 5 seconds before the shot 3) It was not given, stop whining Newcastle and Media But... moving on... Blooming FANTASTIC!!!
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Jesus_02 added 08:59 - Jan 19 The media are always going to make a big deal when it obviously hits someone’s hand. But if you see it at full speed there is no way that Fonte could have made the decision to handle it, in fact although his hand is up he is actually twisting away from it. It looks to me that he wasn’t expecting it and was actually protecting his face (big girl’s blouse). Absolutely true that we would all be screaming for it if we needed a goal to equalise, but I am equally sure that it wouldn’t have been given. Any way where did he get that black eye? On another note, I think that Elia’s finish was excellent, he scored because he hit it early. I don’t think that constitutes luck. He has a great touch and good awareness but appears to be a little of the pace, I can only see him getting better. I am also delighted about how committed to the club he seems to be.

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TimSaint added 09:30 - Jan 19 Lots of people in the media and on forums mention the penalty and yes, it should have been given. It does not mean that they necessarily score from it though and if you remember back to the SMS game v Newcastle, Shane got punched in the head by Krull in the box,, for a definite penalty and maybe a red card - so things perhaps do even themselves out. I think Shane should have had 5 pens for us so far, so we are due a few more decisions through the second half of the season.

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ItchenNorth added 13:54 - Jan 19 The ref couldn't give for Fonte if he didn't for Colback seconds before (assuming he saw both !). Both players were fired at from close range, both had their hands in the air but because one was inside the box, suddenly one becomes more of a hand ball that the other lol !! Some ya win some ya lose, we got lucky but it was no more of a hand ball that Colbacks imo.
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IanRC added 00:12 - Jan 20 Thought Elia had a superb game. The number of times he received the ball on the wing with his back to goal and had the strength and skill to turn his marking player and then sprint away from him bodes well. Don't think it's fair to blame Gardos for their goal, did his best to clear and was just unlucky.
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trotsky added 12:59 - Jan 20 Extraordinary result in the circumstances. My only concern is the supreme confidence (arrogance?) that we seem to have in defending so deep late in the game, and the penalty appeal was a consequence of this. Obviously a home team who is one goal behind will always throw everything they have at you in the last 15 minutes, but our ability to keep and distribute the ball when we have the opportunity to exploit the gaps that they leave seems to drop dramatically in the final stages. Swansea was perhaps the most obvious example of this (against ten men), but the last two league victories have ended up being more backs-to-the-wall than they've needed to be due to curious decision-making in possession. I just hope we learn from this before something like that penalty appeal goes against us and we don't get what we deserve from a match. Obviously it's a minor gripe in the context, and the quality of defending is unprecedented in the club's history. Watching (away matches) from the sofa has never been so comfortable: I'm just greedy!

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