STUART Gray revealed that it was pressure from Wanderers that prompted him to make the substitution that brought Southampton their first goal and first points of the season at the Reebok on Saturday.

Little Latvian Marian Pahars had been on the field just eight minutes when he struck the matchwinner that sent Wanderers crashing to their first Premiership defeat. And, although the Saints boss felt his players were good value for their win, he was concerned the way things were developing so he counter-attacked.

"I felt there were going to be periods in the second half when we'd be put under a bit of pressure, being the team away from home, and I just feared they were forcing us back," Gray explained.

"We needed to get Marian's pace on and all credit to him, he popped up with a good goal.

"Players know players and I think Bergsson and Whitlow know Marian Pahars ... in the conditions and with his low centre of gravity, he can turn either way and he certainly had an effect on them and on us with that winning goal."

Saints' ecstatic reaction to the goal - fans and players alike - summed up the relief at finally ending their drought and Gray believes his players can draw confidence from being the first team to beat Wanderers.

"It's always good to come to the top of the league and get a result," he added. "The first 15 minutes Bolton started with a lot of confidence and a high tempo crowd but we weathered the storm and thoroughly deserved the victory.

"The conditions had an effect. On a couple of occasions Jones kicked the ball and it only went 20 yards, it was like schoolboy days but we tried playing through it.

"We've had a difficult start - Leeds away, Chelsea at home and Spurs away - but we've come to the top of the league and got a result that's going to give us confidence.

"I knew we were playing well but it was a case of having that final piece of the jigsaw and we've had that now with Marian scoring the goal."