Saints will take a massive step towards automatic promotion if they can beat Charlton at St Mary’s tonight.

Nigel Adkins’ side have a real feeling of momentum after turning round a two goal deficit to defeat MK Dons on Saturday.

And they know a win against the Addicks this evening will take them to the very brink of second place.

There has been so much made of Saints’ games in hand over their play-off rivals but it is now time for the talking to stop with the first of those three played out tonight.

If Saints can get a victory over Charlton the three points will put them just two behind second placed Huddersfield with two further games in hand with which to overhaul the Terriers.

It would be a terrific position for Saints to be in with so little of the season remaining and with Huddersfield having to face fourth placed Peterborough next.

Saints’ other games in hand come next Tuesday when they travel to Rochdale and the penultimate game of their season on Monday, May 2, when they take on Plymouth at Home Park.

Charlton come to St Mary’s having halted a run of 11 games without a win when they produced a stirring second half performance to defeat Leyton Orient 3-1 last time out.

Saints could only manage a draw with the Addicks when the teams last met just a fortnight ago with former St Mary’s star Bradley Wright-Phillips bagging an equaliser for the Londoners.

Wright-Phillips is set to lead the Charlton line again this evening but his current side come to the south coast with no real form to speak of on the road.

They have lost five of their last six on their travels, the sole exception a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at Dean Court.

Saints on the other hand are in terrific form at home.

They have won their last five on the trot in front of the St Mary’s faithful, the last time they dropped points being the goalless draw with Notts County way back in mid-January.