Saints continued their march up the table with another 3-1 success on the road, this time at in form Walsall.

First half goals from David Connolly and Dean Hammond set the visitors on their way, before Rickie Lambert added a third just past the hour mark. A goal from Saddlers striker Darren Byfield followed soon after, but it was a mere consolation as Alan Pardew's side climbed up to 15th in League One.

Walsall: Ince, Weston, Sansara, Hughes, Smith, Jones, Mattis, Bradley (Parkin 73), Richards, Deeney, Byfield. Subs (not used): Gilmartin, Nicholls, O'Keefe, Westlake, Till, McDonald.

Saints: Bialkowski, Murty, Jaidi, Perry, Harding, Hammond, Schneiderlin (Wotton 76), James, Lallana, Lambert (Paterson 90), Connolly (Antonio 69). Subs (not used): Forecast, Thomas, Trotman, Mellis.

Referee: Mr. Craig Pawson.

Attendance: 5,681 (including 1,791 away)

David Connolly returned to the squad and started up front alongside Rickie Lambert, as Papa Waigo missed out altogether with a back problem.

The hosts got play underway and made a bright start by forcing an early corner. They then saw a third minute shot from midfielder Mark Bradley fly over Bialkowski's crossbar after he pounced on a loose ball.

Lambert and Connolly both fired over at the other end as Saints searched for a route to goal on a slightly heavy pitch as a result of the recent wet weather.

Troy Deeney then stole a cushioned header from Chris Perry back towards Bialkowski, but the Saddlers forward had to settle for a corner as Perry recovered.

In the tenth minute, Steve Jones' free-kick was headed on to the outside of the post by Darren Byfield's looping effort as the home side went close once more.

A Lloyd James corner from the right supplied Saints' first attempt on goal in the seventeenth minute as the Welshman's delivery picked out the head of Perry, who saw his firm effort held by Clayton Ince in the Walsall goal.

Moments later, David Connolly went down inside the area as he went for the ball but the Irishman's penalty shout fell on deaf ears.

After a sustained period of pressure from Chris Hutchings' side in the Saints half, the visitors went back on the offensive, and found a goal just past the half hour mark.

Morgan Schneiderlin's terrific pass from the right was latched on to by Connolly and the forward drilled a low shot across Ince into the bottom corner to give Alan Pardew's side the lead.

The goal gave Saints the boost they needed going forward and Dean Hammond almost extended the advantage as he stabbed narrowly wide from a loose ball.

The skipper made it 2-0 in the 38th minute as he started and finished a move which owed much to the endeavour of Connolly. The first goal scorer's shot was pushed out by the 'keeper, but only as far as Hammond, who tucked the ball under the shot stopper from close range.

In added time at the end of the half it was one way traffic with Saints piling on the pressure for a third which culminated in Lambert going closest as his header from James' cross was saved low to his left by Ince.

Half Time: Walsall 0-2 Saints

The rain started to fall in the Midlands but Saints largely picked up from where they left off by applying plenty of early pressure, but couldn't get a clear sight of goal.

Deeney's header at the other end was kept out by Bialkowski but the hosts were equally frustrated as they tried to work an opening.

Dan Harding earned himself a fourth booking of the season on 63 minutes as he fouled Bradley on the far side, but the flow of the game remained the same.

Saints made it 3-0 with just under half an hour to play as Connnolly laid the ball on to Lambert who got through one on one with Ince and shot low into the far corner to further strengthen the visitors' grip on the game.

Walsall got a goal back almost immediately after that though as Darren Byfield celebrated his 100th career strike, and he won't have had many easier than this one, as he struck inside the six yard box into the bottom corner.

Michail Antonio replaced Connolly with around 20 minutes to play as Lallana was the next to go close with a dinked shot towards the top corner which went wide.
Antonio collected Lambert's clever flick as he then strode towards goal only to be denied by the outstretched Ince at his feet.

Jaidi went into Mr. Pawson's book for what appeared to be a handball shortly after Paul Wotton took to the field in place of Schneiderlin inside the last quarter of an hour.

Saddlers defender Rhys Weston blazed wide as five minutes of stoppage time were added on but the game had been up for a long while as Saints wrapped up another three points ahead of the Christmas schedule.

Full-Time: Walsall 1-3 Saints