Former England striker Kevin Phillips struck just before half-time to earn West Brom a Coca-Cola Championship point against promotion rivals Southampton, who had gone ahead through Kenwyne Jones.

Albion had signalled their intentions inside the opening two minutes when midfielder Jason Koumas' 20-yard shot flew wide of the target.

But Southampton, also in the thick of the race for a play-off place, responded swiftly with Gareth Bale's 20-yard free-kick just fractionally too high.

West Brom's highly-rated centre-back Curtis Davies was booked after just five minutes for a rash challenge on Jones as both sides continued to push for an early breakthrough.

Zoltan Gera then tried his luck from distance after 12 minutes but it was Southampton who continued to look dangerous on the break.

Koumas was again wide with a 20-yard effort before Southampton's Rudi Skacel failed to trouble veteran goalkeeper Dean Kiely with an ambitious 30-yard shot.

The visitors missed a great chance to go ahead after 16 minutes when Jones headed a cross from Andrew Surman over the bar when well placed but, after 18 minutes, George Burley's side snatched the lead.

Grzegorz Rasiak's super cross from the right found Jones, who made amends for his earlier miss by firing home from close range.

West Brom pushed strongly for an equaliser but found themselves restricted to long-range shots, with Richard Chaplow firing over from 25 yards just before the half-hour mark.

Paul Robinson then became the second West Brom player to be booked for a foul on Claus Lundekvam.

Phillips had a half chance to get the home side back into it but the former England striker dragged his shot wide and then sent a header too high, only to make it third time lucky moments before the interval.

Southampton created the first opening of the second half when Jones fired wide from 25 yards six minutes after the restart but the home side responded with Gera testing Kelvin Davis from all of 30 yards.

The visitors replaced Rasiak with Marek Saganowski on the hour mark but chances were at a premium, in contrast to the end-to-end first half.

West Brom also opted for a change, with Nathan Ellington coming on for Phillips as both sides pushed for the win and it was Southampton who would have regained the initiative had it not been for two superb saves in quick succession from Kiely with 20 minutes remaining.

First, the former Charlton goalkeeper parried a 20-yarder from Skacel before recovering to somehow keep out Surman's follow up.

Southampton's Chris Makin fired over late on but the home side held out for a share of the spoils.

Teams:

West Brom Kiely, McShane, Clement, Curtis Davies, Robinson,Gera (Carter 85), Koren, Chaplow, Koumas,Phillips (Ellington 64), Kamara (MacDonald 77).

Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Albrechtsen.

Booked: Curtis Davies, Robinson, Koren.

Goals: Phillips 45.

Southampton Davis, Makin, Lundekvam, Baird, Bale, Surman,Viafara, Wright, Skacel, Jones, Rasiak (Saganowski 61).

Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Ostlund, Wright-Phillips, Licka.

Goals: Jones 18.

Att: 21,138

Ref: M Pike (Cumbria).