Nathaniel Clyne scored with less than 10 minutes remaining to condemn Aston Villa to an eighth consecutive match without a win this evening.
Gabriel Agbonlahor had given the hosts the lead just before the half-hour mark when he beat Fraser Forster to the ball before sliding his effort into the unguarded net.
It looked as if Villa may hold out for a rare victory, but Clyne popped up to convert Ryan Bertrand's cross and rescue a 1-1 draw for the Saints.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at whether that was the right result at Villa Park.
Match statistics
ASTON VILLA
Shots: 7
On target: 1
Possession: 36%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 15
SOUTHAMPTON
Shots: 15
On target: 4
Possession: 64%
Corners: 8
Fouls: 17
Was the result fair?
As the statistics above suggest, Southampton dominated this match. They controlled possession for long periods and dictated the tempo of the game throughout as Villa spent the vast majority of their time camped inside their own half. However, the Saints did not use the ball very effectively, so those stats are slightly misleading in terms of the correct result here.
If either side deserved the victory then it would have been the visitors, but in truth they didn't really do enough to come away with all three points this evening. Both halves followed a similar pattern as Southampton took control of the ball but failed to find a way through Villa, who were content with trying to hit the Saints on the break.
It looked as if Paul Lambert's gameplan may have worked to perfection until Clyne's late goal, but that was no more than Southampton deserved. Defeat would have been harsh on the visitors and would certainly have flattered Villa, but a draw is a much fairer reflection of how the match went, even if Southampton will feel that they should have won.
Aston Villa's performance
Not many people gave Villa much of a chance considering the contrasting fortunes of the two sides going into this game. However, the hosts put in a performance full of heart as they frustrated their in-form opponents, and they came away with a point that they will be very happy with - even if they were just nine minutes away from getting all three.
There were big concerns regarding how the defence would cope with the likes of Ron Vlaar, Philippe Senderos and Nathan Baker all missing, but Ciaran Clark and Jores Okore stepped up to the plate and did a superb job. At the other end, Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann didn't have many chances to shine, but they were a threat on the break whenever they could be.
A point against a side who have been as impressive as Southampton this season is a very good result for Villa, but they are without a win in eight matches now. This point takes them two clear of the relegation zone and, if they can't stop the rot sooner rather than later, then they could find themselves dropping into the bottom three.
Southampton's performance
It was something of a mixed bag from Southampton this evening. You could tell that they were a team full of confidence by the way they were passing the ball in the first half, dominating possession and playing some lovely football at times. However, more often than not it broke down in the final third, with Brad Guzan only really being tested once before the goal.
Indeed, despite their superior possession, it was beginning to get hard to see where the breakthrough would come from until Clyne notched the equaliser. Graziano Pelle had one of his quietest games since joining the club, while Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane could not provide him with the service he needed from the flanks.
The goal they conceded was very avoidable, but on the whole they were comfortable at the back. The main thing lacking from their performance today was a cutting edge, so there are positives and negatives to take for Ronald Koeman. Even with just a point, though, they are still very well placed at this stage of the season and look to be serious contenders for a European spot.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Ciaran Clark: There were no standout performers today, so Clark gets this award for the way he dealt with the threat of Pelle. The in-form Italian was anonymous for large spells as the Villa centre-back put in a fine performance alongside Okore, who also deserves a mention.
Biggest gaffe
Forster has arguably been the Premier League's most impressive goalkeeper this season, but he was at fault for Villa's goal today. He came charging out of his area having initially hesitated to leave his line, which allowed Agbonlahor to beat him to the ball and slide it home. Toby Alderweireld deserves a portion of the blame having not matched or at least blocked Agbonlahor when chasing a long ball forward, but the main fault lies with the keeper.
Referee performance
It was a quiet game for Phil Dowd this evening. There were no major decisions for him to make and he only had to go to his pocket three times.
What next?
Aston Villa: Villa will continue their search for an elusive win when they travel to Turf Moor to take on a resurgent Burnley on Saturday.
Southampton: Southampton, meanwhile, face a tricky match against champions Manchester City at St Mary's on Sunday.
Barney Corkhill
