Still on "step-by-step" process
Southampton manager Will Still said "there was a lot to reflect and learn" from his side's 2-1 pre-season opening win at Eastleigh.
The hosts shocked Saints by taking the lead inside two minutes, but from then on in the ball was largely in the hands of the visitors.
A deserved equaliser came in first half stoppage time, Adam Armstrong from the spot, before Cameron Archer capped a much-improved second half performance with the winner 15 minutes from time.
"It was an interesting one," said the manager, "you can see a team in the middle of a process, in the middle of a reconstruction works, with a lot of positive things and a lot of things that we still need to work on.
"But it's important to get minutes in there, in the legs that haven't played for almost two months, so that was a priority today. Getting 45 minutes under everyone's belt. And then like I said, I think you can see the start of a big sort of work in progress.
"I think the early goal sort of shocked us a bit, we sort of fell back into being a bit scared and being a bit worried to play, that's what we don't want to do. We want to be aggressive, we want to be front foot, by pressing you're automatically going to create that long ball scenario and we need to win those second balls, which we didn't particularly do very well.
"But the second half was a lot better, a bit more energy, a bit more personality, a bit more forward drive and a lot of counter pressing moments after losing it, which was good. So yeah, food for thought and a lot to reflect on and learn from in the coming weeks.
"Then it's also important to win, I know it's only the first game and against a lower opposition team, but getting into a habit of winning and coming back into the game and being brave, that was better than in the second half. So yeah, working progress, but we've got enough time to get it right."
