We have lift off.

Saints’ season is really up and running now with a first Premier League win on the board just in the nick of time.

The last thing they needed was to go into the first international break mulling over a winless start to their league campaign, especially given the fixtures they have had.

To have broken the duck at Crystal Palace, after the Cup win at Brighton, gives them a couple of weeks to take stock, to continue to work on areas that can still be improved and to soak in some confidence.

Beating Palace seemed of even greater importance given the way the match went.

Saints were the better team in the first half but without making a vital breakthrough.

Even in the second half at 1-0 up and with Palace not playing well they rode their luck at times.

Had that eventuality transpired - another good performance without maximum points - Mark Hughes really would have had a difficult job on his hands to try and instil some belief and avoid this becoming a very tough start.

Now, though, he can really try and lift and rally his men with things set to get a bit tougher after the break.

In fairness to Saints they were really up for this.

The team clearly recognised the importance of it, and given they lost to Leicester without their best player, Jamie Vardy, to fail to beat a Palace side without Wilfried Zaha when you had dominated would have been a worrying sign.

But so many of the problems we have seen were at best cured and at worst eased.

Some of the Saints players who have come in for the stiffest of criticism this season, in particular Cedric Soares and Wesley Hoedt, were excellent.

They were both likely to be targeted by Palace but stood up it and, if anything, thrived on it.

That is particularly pleasing for Hughes who is no doubt learning a few things about the character of some of the members of his squad.

His front pairing of Danny Ings and Shane Long showed they can work together, and really set the tempo from the front.

The central midfield duo of Mario Lemina and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg were also dogged and determined.

There were plusses all over the field for Hughes.

Having reverted back to the side that lost to Leicester after making ten changes for the win over Brighton was certainly a statement of confidence in those players from Hughes.

And they repaid that faith.

Again they started positively and on the front foot.

Though Saints struggled to turn their first half dominance into chances it was impressive just how thoroughly in charge they were, with Palace often pinned back deep in their own half defending like an away team.

A few late Palace blocks and a dramatic Wayne Hennessey save from a header from his own player, Luka Milivojevic, kept Saints at bay.

With Jannik Vestergaard and Hoedt standing firm against Palace’s aerial threat from Christian Benteke there wasn’t really much for Alex McCarthy to do.

That did change, but not before Saints had got in front and might have killed the game off.

Saints took a deserved lead two minutes after the restart.

Palace’s woeful inability to defend a fairly simple ball from Cedric Soares gave Danny Ings a sniff at goal and he made no mistake with a low finish.

After James McArthur had scared Saints by rattling the bar came two glorious chances to double the lead.

The first arrived as Cedric put in a right wing cross that found Long six yards out but he headed over.

After Long had been forced off through injury his replacement, Charlie Austin, got in a shot that Aaron Wan-Bissaka handled in the area.

Austin stepped up to take the penalty but it was weak and down the middle and Hennessey duly saved with his legs.

There was to be one more close shave for Palace before they stepped it up.

Nathan Redmond’s low drilled shot was saved and Moi Elyounoussi reacted quickest. It wasn’t a simple chance but he would have been disappointed to clip the top of the bar rather than scoring.

Having survived all that Palace were buoyed and threw everything at Saints.

McCarthy made a string of saves, most notably very late as Benteke’s header was blocked by his legs.

Saints did eventually get their insurance on the counter attack, Hojbjerg having a fairly simple finish after being played in behind with Palace committed up the field.

It was joy and relief for Saints.

They needed a win, they put in a performance worthy of a win, and they got a win.

There are far tougher tests ahead, of course, but there are signs of progress.

For Hughes to see combinations all over the pitch start to take shape and thrive is much needed, and for the squad to get some confidence back is vital.

It is an international break Saints can now enjoy.