FROM POSSIBLY the least inspiring team in the league to the most entertaining, it's been a funny old week for Saints.

After the defeat against Aston Villa last Saturday we were predicting the next eight days would be massive in the context of Saints' season - it all looks rather good now.

If Gordon Strachan's men were to have lost to Pompey, the club would have been on a massive downer.

As it was they won, reached the Carling Cup quarter-finals and, in a funny way, that made the result yesterday feel like a defining moment.

Saints are now looking to chase the teams ahead of them and not fend off the ones below them.

What also cannot be over-emphasised is how much better they looked going forward and as a team.

Yes, they may have conceded two goals which is very unlike them, but they were wonder strikes and there's not much you can do about that.

But then Saints hadn't scored in the league since the clocks went back so throwing slight caution to the wind was the only way to go. Playing cagey and defensively wasn't providing the results.

And from a fan and even a neutral's point of view, it makes the team a much better side to watch.

It's probably fair to say that anybody sat at home with a spare couple of hours wouldn't have soiled themselves with excitement at the prospect of Saints v Charlton, but if they turned off they missed out.

This game was an absolute cracker - without doubt the most enjoyable Saints match of the season, hot on the heels of what the fans would have said was the most enjoyable result against Pompey.

Strachan's decision to replace the injured Chris Marsden on the left with Marian Pahars worked a treat with the little Latvian providing what Saints have been missing.

That coupled with the pace of Brett Ormerod meant they looked dangerous and capable of scoring every time they attacked.

There was suddenly an added variety to their play. It wasn't one-dimensional.

The option of using James Beattie as a target man remained, but Saints probably took men on and got to the by-line more often in this one match than they have all season - and that was despite not fielding a recognised winger!

And while the forwards stole all the glory, Rory Delap and, in particular, David Prutton did the rough stuff well.

Saints grabbed the lead after only six minutes when Jason Dodd, who provided excellent set-pieces all afternoon, floated in a left wing corner.

Michael Svensson got a head to it but it went away from goal. Delap fired in a shot but Svensson stuck out a leg and Dean Kiely and Jason Euell couldn't quite prevent it from crossing the line.

Saints continued to look dangerous in the first half and Kiely had to save from Delap and Prutton while Chris Perry almost scored an embarrassing own goal and Beattie produced a rare duff shot when through one-on-one when 30,000 people expected him to score.

Antti Niemi was also in action to stop from Paolo Di Canio, who blasted another good chance over, while Hermann Hreidarsson also missed an opening and had a penalty appeal turned down, as did Pahars.

But Saints hit Charlton with a real sucker punch just on the stroke of half -time.

Prutton's pass allowed Beattie to slide the ball across from the by-line where Ormerod met it first time at the near post and flicked it across Kiely and into the far corner.

At 2-0 it seemed Saints were cruising but Scott Parker had other ideas and 28 seconds into the second half he fired an awesome shot from 20 yards into the top corner.

Minutes later Graham Stuart smashed the ball against the bar while Niemi was tested by Hreidarsson and Di Canio before Pahars played Ormerod through one-one-one.

Kiely saved well and it seemed like it could be a turning point as Charlton stormed up the other end where Parker curled another magnificent shot from distance past Niemi.

But Saints weren't to be denied and, after Nimei saved again from Di Canio, and Parker cleared off the line, Ormerod grabbed the winner four minutes from time.

From another Dodd corner, Michael Svensson and James Beattie conspired to get the ball to Ormerod who gambled with his run and duly finished from close range just ahead of Kiely.

Ormerod then had a great chance to complete his hat-trick in the 90th minute but Kiely again denied him in a one-on-one situation.

Eight days ago we would have been grateful for one league goal so you can't really complain at not getting four.