It’s amazing in sport how things can turn on one magic moment.

We have seen it across sports, team and individual, for all of time.

When backs are to the wall, when it seems like things are going against you, something, seemingly out of nowhere, can happen and a fuse is lit.

It even happens to the greatest of the great. Take the US Open tennis semi-final of 2011, where Roger Federer seemed ready to wrap up a victory over Novak Djokovic.

At match point down it seemed Djokovic had all but given up. He, almost lazily it appeared, flicked a return of serve that beat Federer and stunned the watching world with its nonchalant brilliance.

Was it lucky? A moment of genius? Who knows, but it didn’t matter, it had the effect of turning a match entirely on its head, and Djokovic went on to knockout the greatest ever, and eventually claim the title for the first time.

Djokovic also credited the moment for changing his attitude, making him brave enough to keep trying, keep attacking, being less cautious, even in vital moments, and his career sky rocketed.

Maybe Sofiane Boufal has produced just such a moment for Saints.

Football may well be a team sport, but after another 85 minutes of huffing and puffing for Saints as a unit, it took a late individual effort from the sub, just minutes after he had been brought off the bench, to turn things around.

A moment that lit up the match could prove to be a turning point in the season.

Make no mistake, this was a victory Saints were desperate for.

They thoroughly deserved it given West Brom’s lack of ambition and the chances that Saints created, and again squandered, but it really didn’t seem as if it were coming.

Another day of frustration looked to be on the cards. Another goalless day at the St Mary’s office. Another winnable home game about to drift off with points slipping through the fingers.

Playing later in the day also added a sense of urgency. Results elsewhere meant Saints were just starting to look over their shoulders.

And given the team and manager know as well as anybody that they have had a very kind fixture list thus far, and after this run of four matches they have to play all of the top six before the end of the year, they needed points on the board.

It suddenly felt less important for the sake of upwards momentum and more vital for warding off fears.

With a third win of the campaign secured, and a more comfortable league position as a result, Saints can look ahead with optimism again.

With a trip to Brighton up next and then Burnley at home to come before the international break when things get far more taxing, Saints must feel they can put a run together once more.

And it is all thanks a piece of individual brilliance.

Saints would have been kicking themselves had they not won this game.

West Brom played exactly as had been expected. They were well organised, well drilled, got pretty much everybody behind the ball and were very hard to break down.

They were running the clock down from the start and barely launched an attack worthy of the name.

For all that though Saints’ pressure did pay off as they crafted a few chances, which weren’t taken.

Saints almost got a bit of early luck as Ryan Bertrand’s free kick flicked off the head of Jonny Evans in the wall and hit the post before three more decent first half Saints openings.

West Brom failed to clear a corner and the ball fell to Oriol Romeu in the middle of the six yard box, but he skewed wide on the spin.

On a very rare occasion that the Baggies committed a few players forward, Manolo Gabbiadini, playing as the main striker for this game with Shane Long out on the right, quickly counter attacked down the left.

He found Long running into space at the near post with a low cross. The striker opted to let the ball run across his body and attempt to finish with his right foot, but ended up missing the target.

Maya Yoshida did work Ben Foster with a downward header but the Baggies keeper was able to turn it wide.

West Brom made a tactical change early in the second period, playing with five at the back and two strikers, and it bought them more of a foothold in the game.

After Fraser Forster had saved from Kieran Gibbs with West Brom’s first effort on target, former Saints star Jay Rodriguez had the Baggies’ best chance, but put wide a half volley after being played in by a long ball.

Tadic saw his effort smothered by Foster before appealing unsuccessfully for a penalty as Pellegrino started to ring the changes, which proved effective in Saints snatching back control of the game and, ultimately, winning.

Juts three minutes after Sofiane Boufal was introduced came the decisive moment.

With just five minutes remaining Boufal picked up the ball not far outside his own penalty area. He ran past two players and pressed into the West Brom half.

Aided by some sloppy defending, including a comedy moment where two West Brom players took each other out, he continued his run. As he got to the edge of the box Boufal cut inside onto his right foot and measured a perfect finish into the bottom corner.

It was a truly breath taking goal.

It was one that proved a point for him individually but, more significantly, gives Saints the chance to make it a pivotal moment in their season.