For over an hour it looked like it would be a frustrating night for Saints, then suddenly the game matched the occasion.

Like most Saints fans I was a little disappointed with Claude Puel's selections to take on Inter Milan, I wanted nothing left to chance so to see Jose Fonte and Charlie Austin on the bench was not what I wanted to hear.

However that little gripe aside it was still a decent line up and one that showed that like the significance of playing Inter Milan in the Europa League and the progress that signified, that even a starting XI with the bulk made up of those who you might not pick in your starting XI is stronger than the team that we had at the start of our first season back in the Premier League four years ago.

But for over an hour it looked like the game might follow a similar pattern to the one over in Italy a couple of weeks ago, there was plenty of noise from the Saints fans, plenty of efforts on goal from Saints, some good saves from the Inter goalkeeper, a smash and grab goal from Inter and it was looking like it would be another great occasion but another defeat.

The first half saw some good attacking play from Saints and some good chances, but Inter took their chance when it came with Saints appealing for a foul on Virgil Van Dijk in the build up and we moentarily lost our concentration and it cost us dearly.

Just as it looked like Saints would go in behind at the break came another controversial moment, Saints got a penalty, in truth replays showed that it was harsh, it should never have been given, but of the ref got that one wrong, he lost control in the next minute or so as Inter players lost their composure.

I don't know what Sam McQueen was doing in going over to Candreva as Tadic prepared to take the spot kick, but the Inter player clearly elbowed McQueen in the face to spark a melee in which the referee had no control at the end of it he awarded Candreva a yellow card, strange in that if he saw the incident then it was clear and a red should have followed, if he didn't then there should have been no card, perhaps he felt that two wrongs made a right.

The delay did not help Dusan Tadic who then hit a poor penalty which the keeper saved with his legs and perhaps in this case it was three wrongs making that right.

I thought at half time that the game hinged on Saints getting a goal and if we did we would win, on sixty minutes I said that again that if we scored and left ourselves with 15 minutes to get a second we would, in the end I didn't have to wait that long.

The first came on 64 minutes with Virgil Van Dijk firing home after the ball came back of the bar and 4 minutes 57 seconds later we had the lead Nagatomo showing that Kamikaze defending is a Japanese trademark and failing to do anything other than let the ball hit him and spin into the net to send St Mary's wild.

We now had the lead and the impetus had to change a little, it was now more important to not give a goal away than score one, Claude Puel has much Europea experience and he knew what to do, on came Steven Davis for the tiring Tadic to shore up the midfield and see out the game and it was fitting that the final whistle should be blown with Davs on the ball next to the corner flag.

A great win for Saints, a historic win for Saints but one that was won by hard work and concentration on the task in hand.

That has now made Saints task in the final two games very clear, if they want to win the group then they need to win in Prague, if they do so then that is in their own hands, but even if they lose to Sparta, they now only need a win against Happoel Be'er Sheva in the final game to qualify, if we achieve that we are guaranteed second place whatever happens in the remaining fixtures in the group.

Photo: Action Images

TeamCortese added 10:50 - Nov 5 Briliiant, briliiant result! I am so happy about the result! We beat Inter Milan! God we've come a long way :) Inter are a prestigious football club with a rich history of success. Only a handful of clubs can even rival or better Inter's reputation. However, their current team are atrocious! Losing to a team of that level regardless of the reputation would have been a mighty disappointment. I would rather us had been beaten 4-0 by a squad that warrants the respect of the club's history than by a bunch of wannabe rugby players. VVD.....We have to keep him. If he is sold I'll never forgive the board. He is a real gem and it's the board's obligation to try everything within their power to keep him. He's different to the others. If he keeps improving at this current I have no doubt he'll be playing for the likes of Barca and Real Madrid. If he does go can we at least not sell him to bloody Liverpool, Chelsea or City! Bring on Hull Sunday! #COYR

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SaintBrock added 20:40 - Nov 6 Hope you enjoyed your evening otherwise.
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