Lyon admitted it had been a tumultuous week for the club after two of its players were questioned and later cleared over their relationship with a pregnant teenage schoolgirl.
“We were a club under pressure - not necessarily of our own making,” he said.
“Fremantle got their footy character tested the week before and certainly we got ours tested and we delivered tonight - which as a coach makes you proud of the playing group and hopefully makes our members really proud.”
When asked how he addressed the issue during the week, Lyon defended the club and spoke passionately about the strength and resolve of his players.
“We talked about what we stand for,” he said.
“We are not going to be perfect, we know that, but we stand on our word and we are happy about what we stand for as a club - make no mistake about that.”
On Saturday night the Saints turned a nine-point lead at three-quarter time into a 47-point win with a sensational seven-goal-to-one final term that now has them sitting in the top four.
“I thought we started really well - we had a lot of entries (inside 50) and kicked a fair few goals in the first quarter, then we sort of changed our method in the second quarter,” Lyon said.
“We spoke about what had changed. We felt we were turning it over, and reckless football invited them back into the game, that to their credit they took hold of.
“Once we took control through the midfield, used the ball better and kept our hardness and pressure, the rest looked after itself.”
The St Kilda coach was buoyed by the performance of his midfield and small forwards as the Saints forward line looks to rebuild with captain Nick Riewoldt still on the sidelines.
Leigh Montagna kicked five goals for the Saints and was well supported by Stephen Milne and Adam Schneider, who kicked five goals between them.
“Nick (Riewoldt) has been a dominant player but gradually we are finding our way without him,” Lyon said.
“It is never going to be exactly the same but fortunately we banked another four points tonight.”