SAINTS maintained their 100 per cent pre season friendly winning run in the Netherlands this afternoon.

Charlie Austin - one of ten subs manager Claude Pule made - scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over FC Groningen at the Euroborg.

Austin glanced a header across the keeper and in off the far post after getting on the end of a great Jake Hesketh cross from the left.

The first half had been end to end with Groningen reduced the ten men just before half-time after defender Hans Hateboer had been dismissed.

First booked for a foul on Nathan Redmond after 27 minutes, Hateboer was shown the red card for another foul on the same player ten minutes later.

After being reduced to ten men, the hosts rarely threatened Fraser Forster - playing his first friendly game of pre-season.

Peul had been forced to make a substitution after just five minutes.

Left back Matt Targett was clattered after only two minutes, and following treatment was unable to continue when Sam McQueen, usually a left midfielder, coming on in his place.

Puel made three more changes at half-time, and a further four just after the hour mark.

When ex-Groningen defender Virgil Van Dijk was brought off eight minutes from time for Alfie Jones, Puel had substituted his entire starting XI with the exception of Forster.

Shane Long was handed his first pre season action, but was one of the players withdrawn at half-time.

Saints now have just two pre season friendlies left - at home to Espanyol next Wednesday and home to Athletic Bilbao next Sunday.

Saints: Forster, Martina (Valery, 62), Targett (McQueen, 5), Van Dijk (Jones, 82), Yoshida (Hojberg, 45), Romeu (Stephens, 67), Ward-Prowse (Isgrove, 62), Clasie (Reed, 62), Tadic (Hesketh, 45), Long (Austin, 45), Redmond (Gallagher, 62).