Substitute Jo Tessem plunged Sunderland deeper into relegation trouble with a late equaliser at the Stadium of Light.

The Norway international came off the bench to cancel out Jason McAteer's 62nd-minute strike to clinch a deserved point with a powerful near-post header.

Tessem's intervention clawed a precious victory from Peter Reid's hands just when it looked as if his side had shaken off the lethargy that had hampered them in the first-half.

McAteer's goal looked to be taking the Wearsiders to victory for the second successive home game, but in the end a point was simply not enough as the dogfight at the bottom of the table hots up.

Sunderland's fans arrived for the game with their delight at arch rivals Newcastle's FA Cup exit at Arsenal tempered only by the realisation that their side has to travel to Highbury next weekend.

However, much of that feelgood factor had dissipated by the time the whistle signalled an end to yet another depressing 45 minutes in what was the 100th league game to be played at the Stadium of Light.

And with Leeds and Liverpool to follow hot on the heels of the Gunners, there was good reason for the red and white faithful to look anxiously at what lies ahead.

Reid's side can never be faulted for effort, but there was simply too little quality on show to persuade the die-hards there was anything better to come after the break.

By contrast, Southampton played with a freedom and sense of adventure which at times proved too much for their hosts, who trudged off the field at half-time knowing they could well have been in arrears.

Brett Ormerod went desperately close for the visitors with a delicate 23rd-minute chip after Chris Marsden pounced on a mistake by the unfortunate George McCartney, and Kevin Davies looped a shot on to the roof of the net four minutes later.

Anders Svensson flashed a header just wide and McCartney deflected a 42nd-minute Davies effort inches over his own crossbar as the South Coast side threatened at regular intervals.

In the meantime, only Kevin Phillips looked like putting Paul Jones under pressure, and he did that with 33 minutes gone when he ran on to Claudio Reyna's pass and, spotting the keeper off his line, sent in a first-time shot which only just lacked the height to embarrass him.

McCartney's torment was brought to a premature end at the break when he was replaced by Joachim Bjorklund, but things did not improve for the Black Cats as first Chris Marsden and then Ormerod went close with the home defence at sixes and sevens.

But it took just one piece of individual excellence to change the shape of the game, and it came from McAteer.

The Republic of Ireland international, who had worked tirelessly all afternoon, got his reward on 62 minutes when he ran on to Gavin McCann's neat knock-down and cut inside on to his left foot before smashing the ball past the helpless Jones from 20 yards.

Sunderland's confidence grew visibly as they attempted to build on their slim advantage, and McAteer saw another shot deflected wide with Jones stranded after he linked well with Darren Williams down the right nine minutes later.

Patrick Mboma too, got the bit between his teeth and started to run at the Saints defence, but Southampton refused to accept their fate and threw men forward once again in the search for an equaliser.

Marian Pahars saw an 82nd-minute volley deflected just wide and Michael Gray had to kick a Paul Telfer header off the line from the resulting corner.

But their reward came at the death as Tessem rose to power home a header from Svensson's free-kick to snatch a point.

Teams:

Sunderland: Sorensen, Gray, McCartney (Bjorklund 45), Williams, Craddock, McAteer, Reyna, McCann, Kilbane (Thirlwell 61), Phillips, Mboma (Quinn 84).

Subs Not Used: Macho, Bellion.

Booked: McCann, Mboma.

Goals: McAteer 62.

Southampton: Jones, Bridge, Williams, Lundekvam, Telfer, Oakley, Svensson, Marsden (Dodd 72), Pahars, Ormerod, Davies (Tessem 72).

Subs Not Used: Moss, Fernandes, El Khalej.

Booked: Pahars, Marsden, Lundekvam.

Goals: Tessem 88.

Att: 46,120

Ref: M Messias (York).