Welsh teenager Gareth Bale struck a last-minute equaliser as Southampton earned a 1-1 draw in the Coca-Cola Championship against Roy Keane's Sunderland.
Bale drove in a powerful shot from the edge of the area which appeared to take a deflection off Steve Caldwell on its way past keeper Darren Ward - earning George Burley's side a deserved share of the spoils.
The visitors controlled the majority of the game but went behind in the 62nd minute when Rudi Skacel fouled Graham Kavanagh 25 yards from goal
Ross Wallace, back in the side after a two-game suspension, stepped up and curled a delightful shot over the wall and into the bottom-right corner to give former Sunderland goalkeeper Kelvin Davis no chance.
But the hero for Keane's side was Ward, who pulled off a string of saves to keep out Southampton and earn a point.
The visitors started brightly and Czech midfielder Mario Licka went close to opening the scores in the second minute.
Licka advanced unchallenged from midfield before firing in a 20-yard drive which arrowed narrowly wide of Ward's right post.
Sunderland failed to heed the warning though and Nathan Dyer fired in a long-range effort just a minute later - but again failed to test Ward.
Keane's men rallied and Daryl Murphy saw a goalbound shot well blocked by Claus Lundekvam before Rudi Skacel forced Ward into action for the first time.
Jermaine Wright found the former Hearts midfielder with an incisive pass and he hammered in a shot right-footed from the left of the penalty area but Ward spread himself superbly to parry the ball away for a corner.
Southampton midfielder Pedro Pele then reached an exquisite 34th-minute through ball from Kenwyne Jones but failed to beat Ward from 12 yards.
Wright then saw Ward spectacularly keep out his volley after the break as Southampton continued to press before Licka fired in another 20-yard strike which Ward smothered.
Wallace then curled in his stunning strike and Burley responded by bringing on leading goalscorer Grzegorz Rasiak for Jones and the Polish striker was immediately in the action.
Rasiak met Bale's left-wing cross with a powerful right-foot volley but Ward once again kept it out with a great save.
But the Welsh international was finally beaten in the last minute by Bale's drive to make it three games without a win for Sunderland.
