SAINTS 1 - QPR 1

While the novelty of Saints playing in a league they can actually win regularly in and going six games unbeaten is still a good feeling for most, the reality of life in the Coca Cola League is a tough one.

See QPR as an example of toughness.

Ian Holloway's men came with a plan. A very well organised team, sat deep, banks of men in a solid shape behind the ball, very hard to break down.

They are limited on talented but not in heart or organisation.

The way they play allowed Saints plenty, in fact the majority, of the possession.

But then it was up to Saints to try and turn that into goals.

However, that's easier said than done.

And that's where Saints' problems still lie.

Of their eight league goals this season, only THREE (in seven games) have been scored by the strikers.

In a team that is doing well - Saints are still fifth after all, just two points off second spot - you would hope that ratio would be better.

What was worrying about Saints' attempts to break down QPR, though, was how quickly they ran out of ideas.

Djamel Belmadi still looked like he had a spark on the left of midfield, as did Polish international debutant Kamil Kosowski when he came on.

But otherwise a lot of the time it was playing in front of the defence or an alarming amount of high balls that were meat and drink for QPR's big defenders.

This is something Saints need to learn.

Unfortunately, the better you are the more teams will play like this against you.

And, in terms of the Championship, Saints at home are a good team.

It's like when Saints would play Arsenal in the Premiership; they would try and stifle them and make themselves hard to beat.

They knew if they tried to outplay Arsenal they'd lose because Arsenal had better players.

It's the same now, but with roles reversed.

QPR know if they come to St Mary's and try to outpass a midfield as good as Saints', the chances are they will lose. If they try and out-attack Saints, they will probably lose.

So, instead, they play to their strengths and make sure they are very strong and hard to beat.

Then the pressure is on Saints to produce a bit of magic to score.

That is not easy at any level but it is the sort of thing Saints are going to need to do as the majority of teams will come to St Mary's with similar plans to QPR.

Harry Redknapp is right when he says the key is shuffling his pack, and he needs to do that in attack.

Kenwyne Jones and Ricardo Fuller can't really try any harder than they have been doing, but as a pair they just haven't clicked.

They have started five of Saints' seven league games between them and it just hasn't worked.

Fuller looks good with the ball at his feet and Jones is big, strong and puts himself about.

But they don't look like they'regoing to gel as a pair.

Redknapp may decide to shuffle his strikers and call on Brett Ormerod or Dexter Blackstock, each of whom have started just one Championship game this season, at Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry respectively.

Saints will be disappointed by the goal they conceded to QPR.

Lee Cook delivered a good corner from the left and Dan Shittu lost marker Darren Powell to head home on 32 minutes.

But it took just five minutes for Saints to level when Danny Higginbotham fired in a low free- kick from the very edge of the area in the centre of the goal.

QPR's wall somehow managed to jump over the ball and it flew into the back of the net for what was only Higginbotham's second goal in 77 league and cup appearances for Saints.

Simon Royce in the QPR goal had a few good saves to make while Antti Niemi was again quiet.

Really it was a case of could Saints find a winner, but they couldn't.

Still, they take a point and the unbeaten run continues.

But a touch of realism has now sunk in with Saints fans who suddenly know what it's like to be regarded as big boys of a league rather than the underdogs.