ADAM Armstrong described as a “special occasion” his rocket beyond the otherwise imperious Emiliano Martinez in the opening minutes, to secure a narrow 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.

The 24-year-old’s first notch since the opening day of the season defeat at Goodison Park came courtesy of an instinctive first-time, weak-foot strike from the edge of the Villa area to raise the roof at St Mary’s.

It was immediately met with chants of ‘are you watching Danny Ings?’ from the home support – the man he was signed for £15million to replace in the summer, but who was absent from the clash through injury.

The effort also sent the visitors travelling back to the Midlands with a fifth consecutive defeat, ramping up the pressure on manager Dean Smith, while Ralph Hasenhuttl can enjoy a well-earned international break with 10 points from the last four matches – and Norwich up next.

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But it was Armstrong himself who can take the most relief, with the former Newcastle man having gone 680 Premier League minutes without a goal.

Daily Echo: Saints got off to the perfect start courtesy of Adam Armstrong inside three points (Pic: Stuart Martin)Saints got off to the perfect start courtesy of Adam Armstrong inside three points (Pic: Stuart Martin)

“I think it was just instinct,” Armstrong told the Daily Echo, “the ball had dropped nicely for me and I’m confident with both feet.

“When I hit it I knew that it was a clean strike and I’m so happy it hit the back of the net.”

He continued: “I’ve touched on it before, I take every game as it comes, I try not to get too down with chances and stuff.

“I just move onto the next one and I’ve done that on Friday, I know that last week (against Watford) I should have had a few goals but that’s what I think every striker will tell you, they go through patches.

Daily Echo: Adam Armstrong now has two Premier League goals following his summer move from Blackburn (Pic: Stuart Martin)Adam Armstrong now has two Premier League goals following his summer move from Blackburn (Pic: Stuart Martin)

“Tonight was a special occasion.”

Although Saints were in an immediate ascendancy courtesy of Armstrong, they failed to capitalise on a first half of utter domination against a hapless and quite frankly clueless Villa outfit.

Stuart Armstrong saw an easy chance blaze over when he was left completely unmarked at the back-post, in what would have doubled the advantage.

When the visitors regrouped following the interval, the boot was on the other foot and the likes of Oriol Romeu spearheading the defence had to battle hard to grip onto a fifth clean sheet of the campaign.

Daily Echo: Oriol Romeu put in an expert contribution as Saints held on to a slender advantage (Pic: Stuart Martin)Oriol Romeu put in an expert contribution as Saints held on to a slender advantage (Pic: Stuart Martin)

But they did so, with Armstrong admitting the final whistle felt “brilliant”.

“A quality three points at home,” he continued, “the lads dug deep until the end to keep the clean sheet and it was a brilliant three points.

“I think that is just football you know, (the difference in the two halves), they played higher up the pitch, we dug deep. Like they always say it’s a game of two halves and that’s how it was.

“We should have created more chances in the first half to put them away but Emi made some great saves and that’s football.”