Saints and Boro share spoils

Anders Svensson grabbed his fifth of the season

Southampton 1-1 Middlesbrough
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Southampton's Anders Svensson and Middlesbrough's Noel Whelan swapped strikes either side of half-time in an entertaining draw at St Mary's.

The point though did not aid either side in their survival fight, and both are now just six points clear of third from bottom Blackburn Rovers.

Svensson had opened the scoring in the 39th minute with an easy finish from six yards after good work from Saints new signing Brett Ormerod.

  Key moments

24 mins: Festa heads over for Boro

39 mins: Svensson taps home for Saints

56 mins: Boro's Whelan slots equaliser

60 mins: Boro's Festa gets straight red card

Minutes after Whelan's 56th minute equaliser however, Boro defender Gianluca Festa received his marching orders for a professional foul on Saints skipper Chris Marsden.

Whelan's equaliser came as the away side started the second half brilliantly, but after Festa was dismissed during Boro's best spell of the match, it was an uphill struggle.

Ormerod nearly added to his season's tally in the first minute, but he scuffed his low drilled shot well wide of Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer's upright.

A minute later, after a fine Saints move, Kevin Davies crossed but Rory Delap could not keep his header on target when very well-placed.

Our back four had been making mistakes throughout the whole game and getting away with it

Steve McClaren
Boro manager

Moments later Luke Wilkshire, an Australian making his Boro debut in place of the injured Paul Ince, just failed to reach a Jonathan Greening centre.

Midway through the first period Boro carved out their first real opportunity.

Festa rose unmarked from a Benito Carbone corner but he could not keep the ball down and on target to trouble Saints keeper Paul Jones.

Boro began to crawl their way back into the game towards the end of an even first half - but it was the home side who went ahead six minutes before the break.

Delap's shot is blocked by Boro debutant Wilkshire

Excellent work by Ormerod on the left flank created space to get behind Ugo Ehiogu and reach the Boro byline.

Ormerod looked up and picked out Svensson perfectly six yards from goal. The Swede had the simple task of rapping the ball past an exposed Schwarzer.

In the 56th minute Boro equalised. Carbone, involved in everything for Boro, won possession and crossed for Whelan.

The unmarked Whelan delightfully struck the ball into the opposite corner of the net with his right foot.

We did enough to win the match but couldn't quite find the final product

Gordon Strachan
Southampton boss

The away side's delight was short-lived though as four minutes later Festa pulled back Marsden who was threatening to slip clear of the Boro rearguard.

Referee Uriah Rennie had no option but to issue his first Premiership red card of the season and send the Italian off.

Saints substitute Marian Pahars came closest to taking all three points at the death but his shot was magnificently saved by Schwarzer.

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Southampton: Jones, Telfer, Bridge, Lundekvam, Williams, Oakley, Marsden, Svensson, Delap, Ormerod, Davies.

Subs: Moss, Monk, Tessem, Pahars, Fernandes.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Festa, Queudrue, Southgate, Ehiogu, Greening, Mustoe, Wilkshire, Whelan, Boksic, Carbone.

Subs: Crossley, Nemeth, Windass, Debeve, Stockdale.

Referee: U Rennie (Sheffield)