As the bookies had Adkins and Mark Hughes joint favourites for the chop, it was Hughes who was given his P45.
So - was it simply a result that kept the hangman from the door for the time being - and could former Southampton boss Alan Pardew produce the result that gets him the chop?
Nigel Adkins: "We've lost a couple of managers in the Barclays Premier League this week and I don't think it matters if you're at the top of the bottom.
"Every position is going to be under scrutiny. That's a shame but the reality of being in this league.
"I've had nothing but support from the chairman, Nicola Cortese.
"We don't need to document anything about it. We've been very successful over the last couple of years.
"We are very demanding of each other but very supportive and I think that's the important thing.
"We have a stability here at Southampton. I think you have to demanding as that means you can keep raising the bar on standards throughout the football club.
"But you've got to be supportive as well and I think that's what we've got here."