Daily Echo:

Saints go into the first international break of the season unbeaten in the Premier League after a battling out goalless draw against Huddersfield.

Mauricio Pellegrino’s side spurned a great early chance and then to soak up a lot of first half pressure against the newly promoted Terriers, who came into the game on a high after victories in their first two top flight matches.

But tactical changes from Pellegrino helped his side turn things in their favour and produce a solid away result – which would have been even better were it not for a stoppage time goalline clearance from Tommy Smith - to bounce back from the midweek Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Wolves.

Saints don’t have another game for a fortnight but will return to action with two draws and a win under their belt in the Premier League.

Saints were having to handle a lot of intensity in the opening stages of the game.

Huddersfield were bang up for the match as you would expect and were pressing hard in every area of the pitch which only further encouraged an already raucous crowd.

It gave Saints so little time on the ball and they were having to hold firm in an attempt to dampen early enthusiasm and work their way into the game.

They did just that as they created a golden opportunity with virtually their first attack of the game on 11 minutes as Steven Davis slid the ball into Nathan Redmond.

Replays suggested he was marginally offside but the flag stayed down and Redmond had the chance to open up his body and guide a right footed shot into the far corner under little pressure. However, his effort was directed wide of the far post.

Fraser Forster had his first action four minutes later, making a simple save from a Mathias Zanka header from just inside the area that never had enough power to trouble the Saints stopper.

They were grateful to Maya Yoshida for making a tremendous last gasp saving challenge in the six yard box on 20 minutes to prevent Elias Kachunga from turning home from close range.

Moments later Forster did superbly to save with his body from close range as Steve Mounie tried to turn home a first time shot from a left wing cross.

Saints were under the pump and after Kachunga had left Mario Lemina standing, Steven Davis made a vital late interception to cut out Rajiv van La Parra’s shot that looked to be heading for the bottom corner.

Mounie didn’t make clean contact to a Tommy Smith low cut back cross from the right on 31 minutes and Saints were happy to see the ball trickle just wide of the post.

The Huddersfield striker did hit the target with a header form a corner but it was simple for Forster to deal with.

He was extended far more on 36 minutes as Saints allowed the ball to bounce to Tom Ince, who hit a shot across goal only for Forster to dive to his right to turn wide.

Forster was just about able to recover from what looked as though it might be a terrible moment as he made a mess of dealing with a cross on the move and presented the ball to Kachunga, but he was able to save the shot with his legs.

When the half time whistle went Saints were no doubt pleased to have got into the break level despite Redmond having had such a great opportunity early in the game.

Pellegrino made a tactical change for the second half with Oriol Romeu playing alone in the anchor role in front of the back four and Davis dropping deeper to play alongside Lemina in front of him.

Lemina’s positioning made an impact six minutes after the restart as he held the ball up and laid it off to Manolo Gabbiadini, whose shot from 20 yards was drilled low but straight at Jonas Lossl in the Huddersfield goal.

Pellegrino’s change was having an effect as Saints were getting far more control, and as a result possession, in the middle of the pitch, also restricting Aaron Mooy’s influence, allowing them to press Huddersfield back a little.

The Terriers reacted quickly to the situation by making a substitution on 56 minutes with Kasey Palmer replacing van La Parra.

Mounie headed a difficult chance well over the bar as Huddersfield tried to reassert their dominance in the game.

There was another change for Huddersfield as Danny Williams came on for Philip Billing.

Redmond tried an effort from distance that whistled just wide before Pellegrino introduced Shane Long for Lemina on 64 minutes and reverted to much more of a 4-2-3-1 but with Gabbiadini playing deeper and trying to support Long.

It didn’t last long though as James Ward-Prowse replaced Gabbiadini on 71 minutes.

That was followed three minutes later by Sam McQueen coming on for Tadic. He went out to the left with Redmond playing more centrally.

Forster had to make a save from Ince, who hit a powerful shot from range.

The various changes for both sides had interrupted the rhythm of the game which hadn’t flowed like it did in the first period, but the three points were there for the taking for either side.

Saints furiously appealed for a penalty on 82 minutes as Ward-Prowse cut back inside in the area and went down over the trailing leg of Zanka but referee Stuart Attwell was having none of it.

Redmond had a sight of goal three minutes later but his side footed shot from just inside the area was guided too close to Lossl was able to push away.

Huddersfield made a final switch with two minutes remaining with Collin Quaner coming on for Kachunga.

Saints so nearly broke the deadlock in stoppage time as Ryan Bertrand arrived unmarked at the far post to head Long’s right wing cross back across goal. Lossl was beaten but Smith appeared on the line to hack it away.

That proved to be the final chance of the match with both sides probably relatively content with a point.