Saints earned their third win of the season in a disciplined fashion in what was a game of two halves, the early goal from Adam Armstrong enabling them to stick to their game plan and see out the game for a solid win.
This was perhaps the crossroads game for Saints, lose it and we would be looking over our shoulders, but win it and we put daylight between us and the bottom three, we did just that and now sit pleasingly in 12th place on 14 points, yes that might change slightly after the rest of the weekends games, but we took a big step in beating Villa and in doing so give Danny Ings the challenge he supposedly craved when he departed St Mary's, however it's not the challenge he expected with Villa potentially dropping into the bottom three this weekend.
It was fitting that the man who won the game was his replacement Adam Armstrong who lashed home from just outside the box in the 3rd minute after Che Adams had hassled the Villa defence, it wasn't quite clear if it was the Saints striker or a Villa defender who knocked the ball back to Armstrong, but it didn't matter it was a clinical finish.
The first half was mainly Saints and they had chances to double their lead, not least Stuart Armstrong who blazed over the goal from close range and also a good shot from James Ward Prowse which drew a good save from the keeper.
But the half time break gave Villa impetus and they came out of the blocks quickly, last season this would be a worry, but although Villa had plenty of the ball and got it into our box, they rarely troubled Alex McCarthy who was well protected by a disciplined defence well marshalled by Mohammed Salisu.
There was also some good substitutions from Ralph Hasenhuttl who was pro active in his changes, ten minutes after the break he took off Stuart Armstrong and brought on Lyanco to shuffle the formation and add steel in our centre.
In the main Saints looked solid throughout, it might not have felt like it at times given our defensive woes of the last couple of seasons, but we seem to have got things right these days and perhaps the most pleasing aspect was our ability to keep yet another clean sheet.
This was very much a team win, everyone did their job from the goalkeeper up to the forwards. Adam Armstrong took the plaudits for his goal and was busy throughout, but if we are looking for one his partner up front was perhaps a better contender for man of the match, Che Adams worked his socks off, not only in battling for the ball which lead to Armstrong's goal, but in dropping deep and defending when needed, not to mention a great header in the 2nd half which produced a great save.
Villa had a lot of the ball as previously mentioned but our work rate and commitment meant that they didn't get the chance to turn possession into clear chances and goals.
Slowly but surely Ralph Hasenhuttl has built not only a team but a squad, but more importantly one that has bought into his work ethic and the way he want's to play, in the past some have criticised his tactics and substitutions, part of that has been due to the depth of his squad, but that has changed and against Villa he showed he has tactical nous.
Substitutions were made at the right times, as previously said bringing on Lyanco, but also in the final 15 minutes bringing on Ibrahima Diallo to add fresh legs and the ability to close down the game and keep the ball to take the pressure off, likewise Armando Broja in the last 10 minutes.
So a pleasing evening for Saints, I expect there will still be a few who moan about our lack of goals, but good sides have the ability to win 1-0 on more occasions than others, Lawrie McMenemy's side of 1983/84 was just that, we battled through the season and had a lot of close wins, enabling us to be in a good position at the end to start scoring goals and surge to a final position of 2nd, still our best League season ever.
Ralph Hasenhuttl's side remind me very much of that side, a balance of experience and youth, a squad that can adapt to different formations and the ability to keep their heads under pressure, we are not quite up to their level just yet, but as some of our supporters ranted about last season and the certainty of relegation, we have slowly put together a good squad and are building momentum, this was not a 1-0 win such as that over Liverpool last season when we scored early and had to hang in there and ride our luck, this was a disciplined side knowing their jobs.
Yes of course we want more goals, but if we don't concede then confidence rises and the goals will start to flow.
Ultimately though this was a fixture marked in the calendar to be Danny Ings night, it was going to be all about Ings scoring against his old club and talking about how he left for the "Challenge" etc etc.
But ironically the script was torn up when he got one of those niggling injuries that he seemed to suffer a lot at St Mary's, he would not run on to the pitch to take the acclaim of his new fans and the wrath of many of his fellow Sotonian's who felt that he took the money and run, they could live with him leaving to try to win trophies with a big club, but really Aston Villa !!!!
So the fact that it was his replacement Adam Armstrong who scored what was ultimately the winning goal and did it in true Ings style was pleasing, the chants about Ings were few and soon died out, Armstrong went a long way in to showing that there was new heroes to acclaim and although he has made a slow start he has the ability to score goals.
A great night at St Mary's, the supporters were tremendous, all four sides of the ground wading in with some great support, it was a pleasure to leave the ground and here people around buzzing about a Saints game again, yes football is a fickle mistress, last season showed that things can change quickly, but we go to football matches to support our team and enjoy ourselves and the game and last night we all did just that.
As I said it was a team effort, hard to pick a man of the match, you have to look beyond the man who scored the winner and look at those who dug in and worked hard and in that respect you could pick virtually everyone who stepped on to the pitch in a red & white shirt and that was the most pleasing aspect of the night.