PAUL JONES is aiming to scratch a 17-year itch tomorrow by keeping a fifth successive home clean sheet.

Not since the start of the 1983-84 season have Saints achieved a shut-out in five consecutive games at The Dell.

Jones has high hopes of equalling that feat at home to Charlton after chalking up blanks against Leeds, Tottenham, Derby and Sheffield United in recent weeks.

The last time Southampton enjoyed a similar run was five years ago. they beat Bolton 1-0 on November 25, 1995, and then drew 0-0 at home to Arsenal and Tottenham, before beating Pompey 3-0. The run ended with a 2-1 win over Middlesbrough.

Lawrie McMenemy's side chalked up five successive 1-0 league victories in autumn of 1984, but they were interspersed by a 2-2 League Cup draw with Wolves.

You have to go back to 1983 for the last time Saints went five in a row at The Dell without conceding a goal. After drawing 0-0 with QPR they beat Arsenal 1-0, Manchester United 3-0, Wolves 1-0 and Carlisle 3-0 in the League Cup.

Now Jones is hoping to emulate that achievement, although he stressed the most important aspect for tomorrow was to pick up three points to continue the side's mid-table push.

He said: "It is very pleasing to have put together a run of clean sheets like this and hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow.

"If we can keep the opposition out we know we have the players who can score goals to win us the game.

"We have been defending much better as a team recently, right from James Beattie up front to myself and we are hard to break down.

"A few shut-outs like this have given extra belief through the side and set us on a decent run at home. We have six of the last seven here now which is more like our old form.

"We lost a few here early on, but since then we have got back on track at The Dell and chalked up some good results to lift us up the table.

"If we can keep that going with another win on Saturday we can consolidate in mid-table.

"It is the sort of game we must win if we are to establish ourselves in that middle bracket and we cannot afford to lose concentration or we could still be sucked back into trouble."

Charlton have also steered clear of the drop zone this season after regaining their Premiership status at the first attempt.

And Jones believes they are now reaping the benefit of their brief stay in the top flight two years ago.

He added: "Charlton had a decent start, just as they did last time, but the difference is that when they have had a poor run they have got out of it quickly this time.

"Previously, they would go eight or nine games without hardly any points and you cannot afford to do that. They have obviously learned from it and are now in the top half, just a few wins from safety.