STEVE WIGLEY will have been encouraged by the strength in depth of his squad after seeing the reserves make it three wins from three games with a 3-0 victory over Spurs at St Mary's last night.

In a side usually dominated by youth, Wigley found room in Dennis Rofe's team for some senior pros to get match practise alongside the up-and-coming youngsters.

There was a St Mary's debut for Tunisian international centre half Alaeddine Yahia, the £350,000 signing from French club Guincamp last week, who impressed.

And Peter Crouch and Brett Ormerod showed there is another partnership waiting in the wings if Kevin Phillips and James Beattie fail to deliver.

Saints dominated the first half all over the pitch and inexperienced Spurs, boasting only Mauricio Tarrico of the established White Hart Lane names, only forced Alan Blayney into one fairly routine save in the opening period while the home team's chances came thick and fast.

With three minutes gone Ormerod forced his way through and unleashed a vicious effort that bent away from the far post and flashed across the face of goal.

It was his strike partner Crouch who opened the scoring just five minutes later. Andrew Surman arrowed in a high but firm cross from the right towards the head of Crouch.

The Saints hitman used all of his 6ft 8in frame to beat his marker in the air and direct his header across goal and into the far corner, leaving the keeper helpless.

Ormerod almost got in on the act after 20 minutes with Surman again the provider, this time with a neat through ball.

The £1.75m striker, who has not figured for the first team since the opening game of the season at Villa Park, outpaced the defence but when he got through one-on-one the keeper just got enough on it to keep it out.

Saints' strike pairing linked up to nearly make it 2-0 on 25 minutes when Tarrico gave the ball straight to Ormerod on the by-line. He pulled it back to Crouch, who steered his shot goalwards only for Spurs to hack it off the line.

Saints had appeals for a penalty waved away moments later when Yahia's header was met by a Spurs hand but the referee deemed it accidental.

But they almost capitalised form the resulting corner when Crouch's header was brilliantly saved.

Surman was forced off through injury just before half-time while Simon Gillett went close with a long range free-kick.

Yahia came even closer from another header right on the stroke of half-time when he rattled the crossbar after a powerful run across the area.

Then Jelle van Damme closed the half with a fierce low drive which was kept out by the keeper.

Whatever Crouch had in his half-time tea should be given to every Saints player.

Just two minutes after the re-start he produced an incredible acrobatic spinning volley to fire his side 2-0 up.

Some carelessness with a sloppy pass from Darren Kenton almost halved Saints' two-goal cushion, but Blayney came to the rescue with a fine one-handed save.

Spurs continued to dominate and Van Damme was forced to clear off the line before tempers started to fray, resulting in some pushing and shoving in the middle of the pitch and a booking for teenage Saints sub Lloyd James.

Ormerod went close moments later before Spurs turned up the pressure but couldn't quite find a decisive finish to beat Blayney.

In injury time Saints put some added gloss on the scoreline when Gillett sidefooted home neatly to keep the reserves' perfect start to the season going.

Saints Res: Alan Blayney, Darren Kenton, Chris MacDonald, Alaeddine Yahia, Jelle Van Damme, Arron Davies, Andrew Surman (Lloyd James 40), Simon Gillett, Neil McCann, Brett Ormerod (Leon Best 83), Peter Crouch (Dexter Blackstock 83).

Unused subs: Andrew McNeil, Eddie Anaclet.

Ref: M Mullarkey

Att: 2,014.