Southampton ended a dismal Premier League away run on Saturday afternoon with a vital 1-0 win at Watford.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team came here having won just one of their last 17 away outings in the top flight, going back to three points at Sheffield United in March, and had just one victory all season.

So against a side who hit five last weekend, this was a seismic win and performance. They defended like their lives depended on it and should have had more than just Che Adams’ first-half goal.

Watford had the best early chance here, last week’s hero Josh King finding space in the penalty area but failing to connect with Joao Pedro’s fizzed cross.

But Southampton soon asserted control and gave this game the feel of a title-chasing team hosting a relegation-threatened side. They camped in Watford’s half, bossing possession, while allowing Watford nothing except counter-attacks.

Saints took the lead on 20 minutes in some fashion, after Adams reacted quickest to a loose pass from Adam Armstrong, turned to square up the goal and unleashed a deft finish into the top corner from the edge of the box.

It was just his 15th goal for Southampton in his 86th appearance. Since joining from Birmingham he has not been as prolific as the club may have hoped.

This was certainly a goal-of-the-month candidate, though, and not for the first time.

A scorer of great goals rather than a great scorer of goals, perhaps, with a certain long-distance lob against Manchester City also springing to mind a couple of seasons back.

But for all the territorial advantage, Watford looked dangerous when they ventured forward with pace.

Ismaila Sarr found space on the right flank and cleverly slotted into Alex McCarthy’s near post only to be denied by the backside of Kyle Walker-Peters on the line.

Vicarage Road collectively rose to its feet to celebrate an equaliser, but referee Peter Bankes took a prolonged glance at his watch and ruled no goal, via the help of goal-line technology.

At the other end, Adams really should have doubled his tally for the day when Armstrong teed him up with a perfect cross, but the striker headed into the ground and the ball bounced over the crossbar.

Clinicality in front of goal continued to go amiss for Saints, with Armstrong twice going close.

The summer buy netted 28 goals for a relatively average Blackburn side last season, second in the top-scorer charts behind only record-breaking Ivan Toney.

He is struggling to do it consistently in the top flight so far.

Armstrong continued to be the centre of everything good in the second half and could have netted but for steely defending.

The game was far more evenly matched as the clock ticked on, with Claudio Ranieri’s half-time double-substitution and change of formation clearly paying dividends.

But they struggled in front of goal and created next to nothing, largely thanks to a well-drilled back four unit featuring two young gems at full back.

‘He’s magic, you know, Valentino Livramento,’ sang the away end about the right back who has earned rave reviews so far this season. This was his 10th successive start, the only teenager other than Micah Richards and Phil Jones this millenium to begin a season with such a streak.

On the other side was Walker-Peters, who added to his crucial goal-line clearance in the first half with a flurry of attacking runs and venomous crosses from the left wing.

More importantly, the 24-year-old was much more than an attacking threat, as he pocketed Watford’s star man Sarr and allowed him no more sights of goal.

In the 88th minute, their defence was seemingly finally breached, with substitute Ashley Fletcher finding space in a crowded penalty area.

He shot low and hard but goalkeeper McCarthy got down exceptionally well and thumped the ball around the post.

It turned out to be a match-winning save. And what a vital three points for Southampton.