PAUL STURROCK could write a football manager's cookbook.

Take a little bit from someone else, add something totally new, stir in your inimitable style, allow to bake for 90 minutes and, hey presto - another three points.

Following last week's bitter disappointment at Fratton Park, there was a lot of pressure already on Sturrock.

In the cold light of day that seems a ridiculous thing to say after two games. It is ridiculous.

But nevertheless there was.

But boy, did he pull it out of the bag with his team selection.

He's learnt about his squad quickly and from the time the team was announced until the final whistle there was surprise after surprise.

Firstly in his team selection.

There was a welcome return to the right-sided combination of Paul Telfer and Fabrice Fernandes.

They were a total success last season and it seemed puzzling why they weren't paired together from the start of this.

Yes, Jason Dodd's been back again but Telfer and Fernandes were a winning combination.

It was even odder when you bear in mind the sale of Wayne Bridge had dismantled the left side of the team.

All sorts of combinations have been tried down that flank but nothing has yet beaten the Telfer-Fernandes axis.

Fernandes added balance to the team while Telfer looks far better in defence than midfield - both defensively and in attack.

With Michael Svensson out Danny Higginbotham was in the centre of the backline with Dodd over at left-back. He's played there before and is solid and dependable. It worked well.

From his first days at the club Sturrock immediately pinpointed the midfield as a problem.

After two dodgy games it was all change and plenty of credit must go to the man - he picked a good four.

David Prutton isn't the most natural left-sided player but Saints look better with him in the team.

Fernandes we've already discussed on the right while in the centre we had Rory Delap and Yoann Folly. The French 19-year-old was handed his league debut in this game but looked as if he was a seasoned pro.

Anybody who has watched the reserves this season would have known what this guy is all about and how special he is. It's great to see that Sturrock wasn't afraid to give him a chance.

Folly repaid the faith, sitting in front of the back four, breaking up the play and using the ball superbly. All of a sudden Saints had finally found somebody capable of filling the void left by the injury to Matt Oakley.

As for Delap, he was as busy as ever, trying to get forward in attack but also get back in double quick time to help his defence.

Oh yeah, he scored a goal too. And what a goal it was.

For a man who has missed chance after chance this season and rarely ever looked like scoring no matter what position he was in, it was unbelievable.

It came on 64 minutes and was certainly worthy of winning the match and taking the three points.

After Prutton's skied shot had been cleared to Claus Lundekvam on the right, the Norwegian's attempted cross was blocked but he followed up with a header into the penalty area.

The ball was looping behind Delap, not far off the penalty spot. He threw himself into a cross between an overhead kick and a scissor kick and connected perfectly. It was in the top corner before Kasey Keller saw it.

This game was back to the way Saints were last season. They dominated the game and rarely looked in too much trouble at the back, but it was a case of getting that vital goal.

They created some good chances.

In the first half Lundekvam should have done better from a Delap long throw while James Beattie had two good openings - one from Delap's scuffed shot and another from Telfer's cross. He also came close from a 25 yard free-kick.

When Fernandes weighted a beautiful curling ball over the top and into the path of Kevin Phillips, the Saints striker lofted it over Keller but just wide of the post.

For Spurs, Jermaine Defoe and Freddie Kanoute both tested Antti Niemi before the Finn was really stretched to tip wide Defoe's cross-goal shot on 40 minutes.

Fernandes had a great chance to open the scoring six minutes into the second half when Beattie laid it on a plate for him. He had so much time he almost didn't know what to do with it and somehow contrived to miss the target altogether.

But then Saints took the lead and Spurs tried to push on further. Sub Jamie Redknapp and Keane both forced Niemi into saves but Beattie could have doubled the lead when he got through on goal only for a poor touch to allow Keller to save.

Overall, Sturrock might well have cooked up a recipe for succes.