Ring the church bells at St Mary’s, sound the ship horns in the docks. Lesley Ugochukwu’s stoppage time equaliser against West Ham ensured that Southampton will not go down as the lone worst side in Premier League history.
Ugochukwu’s strike in added time at the London Stadium earned the point that took them level with Derby’s record low tally of 11 from 2007-08 – and they now have five more games to surpass it.
Southampton had spurned a host of chances and looked set to fall to yet another defeat when Kyle Walker-Peters’ cross deflected off Hammers defender Max Kilman and dropped in front of the on-loan Chelsea midfielder who smashed his effort past Alphonse Areola and send the travelling fans into raptures.
His effort cancelled out Jarrod Bowen’s opener at the start of the second half but, for once, even the West Ham captain could not spare his side’s blushes and secure a first win since February.
Graham Potter’s side made such hard work of putting away a Southampton side that’s now spent 170 days at the foot of the table and a victory here would have flattered them.
They had started brightly, though, as Niclas Fullkrug made his first start since returning from injury and showed an early glimpse of the focal point he can offer to this toothless West Ham attack.
Chelsea loanee Lesley Ugochukwu snatched a point for Simon Rusk’s side in added time
Ugochukwu netted at the death to hand the Saints a point that means they will not go down as the sole worst team in Premier League history
Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring just after the break but the Hammers couldn’t hold on
He got ahead of Saints defender Jan Bednarek at the near post to meet Lucas Paqueta’s ball just three minutes into the game and steer it towards the bottom corner, denied only by a smart low save from Aaron Ramsdale.
West Ham, though, continue to play like a side that knows it’s all-but safe while Saints moved it with the freedom of a side that’s accepted its fate and twice should have taken the lead.
Kyle Walker-Peters flashed a great chance just wide of the far post after a flowing Southampton move left West Ham wide open down the right before Kamaldeen Sulemana rattled the crossbar with an attempt of his own after Jack Stephens’ shot dropped to his feet.
Even so, there was so little quality on show that even the stadium announcer sounded weary when he had to inform everyone there was still a minute of stoppage time to play.
Not many fans remained in their seats by the time the whistle blew, with most already long toddled off down to the concourse for an early pint, and those that had remained greeted it with hefty boos.
You could only hope they returned in time for the restart as it took Bowen just two minutes to fire West Ham in front following a blistering counter-attack from a Southampton corner.
West Ham right-back Emerson carried it forward and found Mohammed Kudus. Fullkrug collected his pass after dropping deep and the fed Bowen, charging forward into the right channel before drilling his shot into the far corner.
It was carbon copy of the move that Walker-Peters fired wide but, this time, Bowen had the quality to make it count for his 10th Hammers goal of the season and his 70th in his club career.
Niclas Fullkrug provided an assist on his first start since returning from his injury lay-off
Tyler Dibling fired a fine late chance over the bar at the back post with the visitors looking for the all-important equaliser
Ugochukwu when all seemed lost for Southampton to snatch a point on the road late on
Graham Potter’s side have not won since late February and were booed at the final whistle
West Ham pushed for a second. Kudus wriggled into the box to try to get a shot away, Paqueta saw his shot blocked by hero Ugochukwu.
Fullkrug thought he’d added a second just after the hour when he bundled the ball over the line from a corner but referee Andrew Kitchen, taking charge of his first Premier League game, ruled it out for a foul on Ramsdale.
Southampton, for all their struggles this season, kept going and it needed a save from Areola to palm away Stephens shot from the edge of the area. Walker-Peters fizzed a cross in front of goal but no one else in a yellow shirt was there to turn it in. Substitute Tyler Dibling fired a fine late chance over the bar at the back post.
And then, when all seemed lost again, the ball dropped to Ugochukwu.
