Time was slipping away in that remorselessly steady way it has and City were heading towards another disappointing away defeat - narrowly, but nonetheless certainly - when from nowhere a Kevin Ellison thunderbolt detonated in Southampton's previously clear blue sky and violently robbed them of a victory. This was not a game to remember nor a performance to remember, but that one crashingly triumphant moment late in the day and the point it salvaged may well be worth saluting come May.

With City's players probably better rested than their opponents, who fielded several full international, Peter Taylor made a brace of changes to the side that required a late leveller against Millwall a fortnight ago, the Tigers carding: Myhill; Lynch, Cort, Delaney, Dawson; France, Woodhouse, Welsh, Barmby; Brown, Fagan. The Saints were fortunately without the sorcery of Marian Pahars, the scuffling Dennis Wise and our very own David Prutton.

It was a warm, summery October afternoon on the South coast, balmy enough for shirtsleeves and al fresco imbibing prior to kick-off. The match also had a curiously summer-like feel to it early on, with a sluggish tempo and fractured play. City created the first half-chance of the game, with a Fagan cross just too high for Brown, whose header sailed comfortably wide. Ricardo Fuller, not the most popular man in Southampton, then wasted a good shooting chance after a neat drag-back by Matt Oakley.

Gradually the pace improved, and with the increase in tempo City began a fray a little. Fuller was again guilty of passing up a good chance after being released by Brett Ormerod, but Damien Delaney recovered to thwart him with a stern challenge. We were rocking now, and midway through the half Oakley was given space in the area but unaccountably blazed over from less than ten yards.

It was all Southampton now. Svensson, Quashie and the fleet-footed Kosowski all had chances to open the scoring, but failed to do so through a combination of poor finishing and desperate last-ditch defending. With half-time approaching and City looking set to escape into the sanctity of the dressing room at nil-nil, our resistance cracked. A corner was cleared to the edge of the area, where Oakley was given time and space to control the ball and send a vicious shot arrowing past the unsighted Myhill. Fine strike, but a bitter blow to the Tigers. We roused briefly in the time remaining, Fagan dithering instead of shooting when free in the area and a France heading required an agile save from Niemi. However, we trooped off 1-0 down, and looking unlikely to get back into it.

City emerged from the tunnel in the second half having evidently been read the riot act by the manager. The Tigers created the first opening when a Dawson free-kick caused problems in the area, but all too quickly Southampton regained the ascendancy. Myhill saved well from Quashie and Fuller headed wide as a second and decisive goal seemed inevitable, the only brief respite being a smart counter-attack that required a superb tackle from Higginbotham to prevent City fashioning a chance to equalise.

Back came the Saints. On the hour, Svensson's well-directed header forced a stunning save from Myhill, but with the goal at his mercy Lundekvam somehow failed to connect at the far post. Perhaps our hosts were becoming a trifle anxious now, their palpable control having yielded just a single goal. On the balance of play, a wider margin was certainly merited, yet their wastefulness was unending. City, grimly holding on, were defending effectively, albeit with a hint of panic at times. The manager made a couple of changes on 63 minutes, Burgess and Ellison replacing Barmby and Brown. Southampton began to slowly run out of steam, and elected to close the match down rather than seek a big win. It was to prove a fatal calculation.

Green replaced Woodhouse on 74 minutes as the match wandered through a gritty patch largely devoid of activity. It seemed as though City were going to lack that bit of class to steal a point, as per Palace, Wolves and Norwich - when suddenly on 79 minutes a long Myhill punt was immaculately controlled by Fagan, steered wide into the run of Ellison, who cut into the area and unleashed a brutally powerful shot from an unpromisingly acute angle.

Now, dear reader, I confess that my instant reaction to Kevin Ellison swinging a boot with no team-mates in support was not to expect a great deal other than mild frustration. Yet - praise be - to the delight and amazement of the 1,500 City fans gathered 120 yards away, the net billowed and our former Chester winger was racing away in triumph. A stunning shot, unerringly accurate and so powerful it had already threatened the structural integrity of the goal long before Niemi had even seen it. Brilliant stuff.

St Marys was stunned. Remember that feeling of intense annoyance when some pub team upstarts such as Macclesfield or Lincoln had the temerity to deny us victory? One imagines a similar emotion being felt among the 22,000 Southampton fans. Their team, rattled and fearing a backlash, instantly piled forward. However, they lacked conviction and showed only raw panic. The Saints fans simmered. The City fans crowed. The minutes ticked away, achingly slowly.

Three minutes of injury time were shown, enough for Brett Ormerod to wildly lash a great shooting chance comically high and wide, and the referee blew for full-time and a precious point. The boos of the home fans were loud and contemptuous; the City fans and players celebrated with perhaps a little more glee than is normal for a 1-1 draw, yet this felt like a win and the Tigers skipped happily off the pitch to rousing acclaim.

It is not unfair to note that City were largely outplayed for this game. Had the home side possessed even modest composure in front of goal, a worryingly severe defeat may well have been inflicted upon us. That is the dull, realistic view. A more upbeat observer would salute City's unwillingness to surrender in the face of constant pressure, always leaving the chance that a single moment of genius could smuggle a point back north. And so it proved.

Yes, we must play better than that. Again, too much deference was shown to illustrious opposition. However, this time we escaped with a point that will hopefully stand us in good stead for the visit of second-placed Reading on Tuesday. And who amongst us wouldn't have taken that on Saturday morning?  (AD)