Southampton boss Nigel Adkins was delighted with victory over Aston Villa.

Ricki Lambert's 34th minute spotkick was all that separate the two teams.

Adkins admitted: "For the team and the club, it is a massive three points for us.

"We've come away from home against a team close to us in the division and got three points and a clean sheet.

"That is only two defeats in the last 11 games. It was a baptism of fire at the start of the season for a newly promoted club.

"We are improving all the time and could have been out of sight in the first half and we had to weather the storm in the second half."