CHARLIE Austin sent a three-goal message to Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino by netting a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Championship side Fulham in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Staplewood.

The 28-year-old striker, who was the club's nine-goal top-scorer last season, has played just 103 minutes of Premier League football this season and has mainly been used as a late substitute by Pellegrino.

Austin’s longest run-out so far this season came against Burnley when he played 25 minutes in the 1-0 defeat at St Mary’s last weekend.

Pellegrino has often looked to him as an impact player but he has struggled to make his mark in those cameo outings.

The former QPR man’s only start came in a 2-0 defeat to Wolves in the League Cup and has been really only a bit-part player despite Saints often struggling for goals.

Manolo Gabbiadini is viewed as Saints’ first choice striker so far, while Shane Long, who hasn’t scored in 27 games now, has often been preferred to Austin too.

That has left the ex-Burnley man on the periphery.

However, Austin, who also scored against the Cottagers in a friendly in the last international break, has once again given Pellegrino some food for fought over his attacking selections.

The frontman hit in a poachers finish to make it 2-0 after Oriol Romeu opened the scoring for a very-strong Saints XI in the first minute, before making it 3-0 from the penalty spot before the half hour mark.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, another forgotten man in the Saints ranks, made it 4-0 just before half time, hitting home from Matt Targett's cross.

Austin completed his treble with a superb glancing header soon in to the second period.

That will be very encouraging for Pellegrino, having watched on frustrated as his strikers failed to find form in the Premier League this season.

Gabbiadini is Saints’ top-scorer on three goals so far this term, while Steven Davis has netted twice. Austin has struck once, hitting a last minute penalty in the 3-2 win over West Ham in August.

It will now be fascinating to see if Austin’s goals in this friendly will allow him to get a run of games.

Certainly, he has proved a very competent Premier League marksman in the past, scoring 18 goals for a struggling QPR side in 2014/15.

He missed much of last season with a dislocated shoulder injury and is clearly needing a run of games this term to find match sharpness.

SAINTS XI: Taylor; Pied, Stephens, Gardos (Bakary 69’), Targett; Romeu (Obafemi 69’), McQueen; Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Redmond; Austin.