Coventry City secured a valuable away point for on their first visit to St Mary's. Substitute Don Hutchison leveled the score for the Sky Blues from the penalty spot on 87 minutes.
It looked set to be another disappointing trip to the south coast for Micky Adams's men as Grzegorz Rasiak's goal on 80 minutes seemed certain to give the Saints all three points. Yet it was Hutchison's perfect penalty in the final minutes that gave the Sky Blues a welcome point away from the Ricoh.
Micky Adams named an unchanged side for the trip to face George Burley's Saints.
Ady Williams had to be content with a place on the bench on his return from suspension, with Richard Shaw and Robert Page retaining their place in central defence.
Dennis Wise was in the side to face the team who he parted company with in December.
In a start where both sides battled for possession, the Sky Blues boasted the first opportunity of the game on six minutes, when Stern John closed down a clearance from goalkeeper Paul Smith. The ball bounced off the Trinidad and Tobago and into the back of the net, but the whistle had already gone for a foul on the keeper.
The home side were forced into an early change on ten minutes when right-back Alexander Ostlund limped off, to be replaced by Darren Potter.
Rasiak flashed the ball wide of the target for the Saints on 11 minutes, which coincided with an injury worry for the Sky Blues when Robert Page went down. But the skipper picked himself up to carry on for the visitors.
Coventry created a great chance to open the deadlock following a neat passing move in the 15th minute. Doyle threaded the ball through to Adebola who in turn found John - the striker causing all sorts of trouble as he crossed towards the far corner of the goal and in turn forced the Saints to clear behind.
In the 19th minute, City threatened again. Wise's set-piece found Scowcroft, who forced another corner as his strike towards goal was cleared by Higginbotham. Another Wise delivery saw another Scowcroft chance - this time as the striker-cum-midfielder saw his header saved by Smith.
Adebola hit his attempt wide on 28 minutes, before five minutes later, Andrew Whing tried his luck with a 25-yard effort which was off target.
Moments later, Whing forced a corner following some good work from Morrell but the set-piece came to nothing as Saints cleared their lines and broke well, only for Kenwyne Jones' shot to be collected with ease by Fulop.
Richard Shaw went into the book for a foul on Jones outside the area and from the resulting free-kick, Potter played the ball short to Higginbotham, who launched a left-footed rocket which Fulop turned over his crossbar.
Southampton were forced into another substitution at half-time, with the injured Jones replaced by Dexter Blackstock.
The home team produced the opening chance of the second period when Rasiak intercepted a back-pass from Page and forced Fulop to palm away before moments later, the Pole threatened again, though he couldn't find a way past the Hungarian custodian.
But the best chance of all fell to Andrew Surman with 56 on the clock. The youngster found himself in plenty or space on the side of the six yard box, but could only pull his shot across goal and inches wide of the far upright.
The Sky Blues made their first change on 64 minutes, with Kevin Thornton replacing Morrell. It saw a switch in team positions, with Thornton playing on the left flank and Scowcroft moving to the right.
In the 70th minute, a goalmouth melee saw Adams' men scramble the ball wide from a Southampton attack, before at the other end, Thornton was keen to make his impact on the match as he shot at the keeper.
Four minutes later, Adams made another change, with Don Hutchison replacing John. He almost made an immediate impact as Adebola got the better of Higginbotham and crossed into the centre, though Hutch was unable to connect cleanly and the home team cleared the danger.
And when the action switched to the other end, there was disaster for the Sky Blues on the 80th minute. From an in-swinging free-kick on the right-hand side of the box, Rasiak headed home to give Burley's men the advantage, albeit off the underside of the bar.
Impey replaced Wise with five to go but there was some good fortune for the visitors when Hutchison was fouled in the area with three minutes to go.
The forward showed his calm to step up to the mark and convert to secure a point for City.
Southampton: Smith; Ostlund (Potter, 10); Lundekvam; Higginbotham; Brennan; Dyer; Chaplow; Wright; Surman; Rasiak; Jones (Blackstock, 46).
Subs: Miller; Madsen; Powell;
Coventry City: Fulop; Whing; Hall; Page; Shaw; Doyle; Scowcroft; Wise (Impey, 85); Morrell (Thornton, 64); John (Hutchison, 74); Adebola.
Subs: Ince; Williams;
Attendance:
Bookings: Shaw (38)
