RALPH Hasenhuttl admitted that his side ‘got lucky’ after winning their first game at St Mary’s for seven months.

Replays showed that Moussa Djenepo handled the ball before setting up Danny Ings for the 78th-minute equaliser.

But the television angle required to make the decision was not seen by the VAR official in time so the goal stood, so the equaliser stood, providing the momentum which led to James Ward-Prowse’s match-winning free-kick.

Hasenhuttl admitted: “I said before the season the VAR would make the game more fair but would not be 100 per cent.

"I think this is what we saw today. I’m 100 per cent convinced about VAR. It does a fantastic job but it can’t see everything.

"The hand was not really obvious but in the end if he sees it and he says yes you can say nothing. Today we had the luck.”

The Saints boss spoke of his and his team’s relief after their first win at St Mary’s since April.

“It was important, this win,” he continued.

“I think it’s not the moment to discuss too much the performance because of all the pressure that was on.

“But the weight on our shoulders we lifted and that was the most important thing today.”