Che Adams got his Saints career off to a dream start as he scored just 116 seconds into his debut.

The £15m summer signing from Birmingham showed strength and composure to fire Saints ahead in the opening stages of their first pre-season game of the summer against Austrian Bundesliga side SCR Altach.

A crowd of around 3,000 came to watch Saints in the Cashpoint Arena and they were given a good game by Altach, who, though no match for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men in terms of quality, are far ahead of them in pre-season with their domestic campaign kicking-off next weekend.

Despite their fast start Saints had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

As expected, Hasenhuttl fielded two different teams during the match, changing the entire side at half time.

After an interesting first half the game died as a spectacle during the second period but was still a useful workout as Hasenhuttl gave players game time, got a look at a few youngsters in action and tweaked formations, largely attempting to refine the 4-2-2-2 as Saints brought down the curtain on their Austrian adventure.

The game had barely got going when Saints took the lead.

Shane Long, for whom this goal must have seemed like it took an eternity after his record-breaking effort last season, chased the ball down the left.

The Republic of Ireland international played a low square cross into the area that Josh Sims shielded. Adams was able to turn his man far too easily and after spinning off of him had the room for a first time right footed shot which he expertly guided across goal and into the bottom corner.

However, Altach recovered quickly and started to take control of the game, pinning Saints back and creating chances.

They levelled things up on 26 minutes as Ousmane Diakite found Manfred Fischer.

Maya Yoshida had been pulled out of position and was bypassed as Yann Valery stood off Fischer allowing him to hit a right footed shot from 20 yards which Alex McCarthy couldn’t get anywhere near.

McCarthy had to save from Fischer four minutes later before the Saints keeper was in business again, standing tall to turn over Samuel Gouet’s fierce drive from just outside the box.

Saints did start to play more on the counter with Adams’ pace and power in behind causing Altach all sorts of problems.

The striker was unlucky not to add a second on 33 minutes as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s ball through found the 23-year-old who hit the post.

Before the break Adams threatened again, this time from a simple ball forward by Yoshida. Adams broke the offside trap and went around the outside of the keeper but found Phillip Netzer waiting on the line at the near post to block his shot from a tight angle.

Hasenhuttl changed his entire team at half time.

The second half side had a good smattering of youth in it with 19-year-olds Jake Vokins and Will Smallbone joined by 20-year-old Dan N’Lundulu as players without a first team appearance to their name taking to the pitch.

They were joined by another 19-year-old in the shape of Michael Obafemi who was making a welcome return to action after recovering from the hamstring problem that kept him out for the closing months of last season.

The second period was a typical pre-season affair.

The changes affected the momentum and rhythm of the game and with Altach only making one switch at the break they looked more settled but also unwilling to really push too hard.

There were few chances for either side.

Danny Ings was played in behind only for the Altach keeper to get smartly off his line to deny him with a sliding challenge just inside the area.

Nathan Redmond showed a glimpse of why he was a clean sweep winner of the Player of the Season awards in the last campaign with some neat skill to create space for a shot but fired wide.

James Ward-Prowse tried to bag Saints the win via one of his trademark free kicks but, though he got it up and over the wall, it bounced past the keeper and the far post.

Probably the most pleasing aspect of the second half for Hasenhuttl was that Saints remained organised and were harder to pick apart than they were in the first period, though they were in turn far less threatening as an attacking force.

Saints now return from Austria for a week back at home which concludes with the match against Preston at Deepdale on Saturday.

Saints first half: McCarthy, Valery, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Sims, Elyounoussi, Long, Adams.

Saints second half: Forster, Cedric, Stephens, Bednarek, Vokins, Smallbone, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Obafemi, N’Lundulu, Ings.