Leicester racked up their fourth draw on the trot at Southampton in a dire game which will not live long in the memory of the 31,053 hardy souls who braved a wild winter evening at St Mary's.

Given the terrible finishing on show, it was no surprise the full-time score was 0-0.

The draw represents a valuable point for City's battle against relegation but Les Ferdinand will be kicking himself for missing the best chance of the game - a 12-yard sitter.

This contest was notable only for its mediocrity and was about as pretty as the weather on a bleak, windswept winter evening on the south coast.

Saints kicked off on the back of three straight defeats - a run boss Gordon Strachan described as his worst spell in two years at St Mary's.

Tonight was an improvement on those performances against Fulham, Arsenal and Newcastle, but only marginally so.

Winger Fabrice Fernandes was recalled in place of the injured Marian Pahars and provided what spark there was in the home side.

Kevin Phillips, the £3.25million summer signing meant to provide the goals to fire Saints towards Europe, went closest for Strachan's men.

The striker shot a foot wide, so his league goals drought - now 16 games and counting since his opening-day strike at Leicester - goes on.

Nikos Dabizas made his debut in the City backline after his move from Newcastle and despite Southampton's poor form, they started very much on top.

Fernandes went close on the quarter-hour mark, receiving the ball in space on the left side of the penalty area and brushing the outside of the far post with an angled drive.

City hit back and Antti Niemi punched away Muzzy Izzet's 25-yard free-kick.

Adams' men should have been ahead at the midway point in the first period - but Ferdinand missed a sitter.

Marcus Bent unselfishly chested down Jordan Stewart's cross and the former Tottenham man sliced painfully wide from 12 yards.

The tide had turned and Bent flashed a shot across the face of goal two minutes later.

However, the impetus of the game then dropped dramatically and most of the rest of the half was a dull midfield squabble.

Saints centre-back Claus Lundekvam limped off with a thigh injury and James Beattie and Anders Svensson were both off-target with thumping shots.

The second half began at a better tempo than the first had ended.

But the calibre of the contest was summed up when Leicester's Callum Davidson ballooned a shot high and wide from outside the area when he had space in front of him to advance into.

Phillips livened things up and almost broke his barren spell in front of goal in the 58th minute.

David Prutton sped down the right flank and the ex-Sunderland man stretched to divert his cross towards goal - but the ball bobbled agonisingly beyond the far post.

Beattie skied a shot when Jason Dodd, switched to left-back, fired in a delivery from the wing.

And City substitute Paul Dickov powered a 25-yarder just wide late on as the game finished scoreless.

Teams

Southampton Niemi, Dodd, Michael Svensson, Lundekvam (Delap 42), Higginbotham, Telfer, Anders Svensson, Prutton, Fernandes (McCann 77), Phillips (Delgado 83), Beattie.

Subs Not Used: Jones, Ormerod.

Booked: Higginbotham, Michael Svensson.

Leicester Walker, Impey, Dabizas, Howey, Stewart, Thatcher, Izzet, Scowcroft, Davidson, Bent, Ferdinand (Dickov 64).

Subs Not Used: Coyne, Heath, Hignett, McKinlay.

Booked: Izzet.

Att: 31,053

Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).