Nigel Adkins hailed Saints’ 3-0 victory over Watford as “three big points” in the club’s chase for promotion.

Rickie Lambert’s third hat-trick of the season secured the win which lifted Saints above West Ham and back to the top of the Championship table.

It was not the beautiful passing football side of Saints on display at Vicarage Road but a side able to grind out another important win on a tricky playing surface, all of which delighted Adkins.

“It was very pleasing to come away and win 3-0 on a very lively pitch against a very spirited Watford side,” he said.

“We knew before the game what the game would probably end up being like and I must give great credit to our players because they’ve applied themselves very well.

“We know we can play football on beautiful pitches where we pass the ball about and here we’ve had to do the other side of it and I think the lads have applied themselves very well and done that.

“It was a dogged display of putting the ball in certain areas, challenging for the first one, winning the second one.

“We look at Rickie Lambert’s second goal and Morgan’s won it in the centre of the park, passed it to Adam who has shown a bit of quality and what a fantastic finish. It was a superb strike.

“We believe we have got goals in the team, we need to make sure we are resolute defensively.

“It’s another clean sheet for us which is important.

“Three good goals and three big points for us.”