Claus eased through 45 minutes with trademark ease, winning every header and reading the game superbly. Svensson surprised many after so long out by playing the full 90 minutes and coming through strongly after only 2 training sessions this week.
We will have to wait and see if he can do the same against Millwall reserves next week, but at least a full 90 minutes is a chink of light in a very dark tunnel after two and a half years of injury problems.
Captain Claus Lundekvam is certain to feature for the first team against Leicester with the changable back line missing his experience after some poor lapses of concentration of late.
Kelvin Davis will be nervously looking over his shoulder with Bart coming through another 90 minutes in goal, although in fairness he had little to do bar a magnificent save to touch the ball onto the bar.
It was also encouraging to see youngsters Surman and Dyer putting on a goalscoring show in front of the watching George Burley. Surman scored a penalty after McGoldrick had missed one a few minutes earlier and Dyer scored a well taken goal and could have had a hat-trick after running the poor Palace defence ragged.
While we shouldn't get too carried away, as it wasn't the greatest of opposition and Saints have proven in the Carling Cup that we can put away weaker teams, the real test is whether the likes of Surman and Dyer can step up for the first team and impose themselves on the Championship.
They showed signs of doing that in Saints' excellent run at the end of last season, but are still proving understandably inconsistent as they learn their trade.
As it is, last night's display puts welcome pressure on the first 11 to deliver after the disappointment of a below par performance against QPR. Saints simply have to keep in touch with Cardiff and Birmingham above us with a difficult away trip to Leicester to come and then a vital away trip to the form team in the Championship ,Cardiff, a true test of Saints' promotion credentials.