Jermain Defoe's 83rd-minute equaliser rescued a point for West Ham but the cruel reality of the Premiership relegation scrap is revealed in the fact that they slipped even further into the bottom three after wins by fellow strugglers Bolton and Leeds.

FA Cup semi-finalists Southampton thought they had secured another home win at St Mary's courtesy of prolific James Beattie's 22nd strike of the campaign - 21 of them in the league.

Even David James, West Ham's giant England goalkeeper could not deny the man dropped last week by Sven-Goran Eriksson - the first goal he had conceded in six games - just a couple of minutes before half-time.

For Saints, who have lost at home to only Manchester United and Liverpool this term, it should have been the turning point after they had wasted the psychological advantage of a fast start.

But they lived to regret narrow misses by Fabrice Fernandes and Michael Svensson in the second half.

You could not deny Manager of the Month Glenn Roeder a deserved West Ham point but the leveller materialised from one of the games many bitter clashes between Lee Bowyer - just back from suspension - and Southampton skipper Chris Marsden - a man left out of Saints' previous two games to prevent him collecting a 10th booking of the campaign and a ban for the FA Cup semi-final against Watford next Sunday.

He duly received the yellow when wrestling with Bowyer on the touchline at the end of a sparky match.

Bowyer was booked, too, but the product of the incident was a throw-in which talented West Ham full back Glen Johnson spun into the goalmouth.

Bodies fell and arms were raised, but 20-year-old Defoe stayed cool to half-volley home his only real chance of the match.

It should not have come to that. Les Ferdinand fluffed a great chance to put the Hammers ahead in only the 18th minute.

He was set up perfectly eight yards out by Lee Bowyer's right wing run and clever pull-back, but he mis-hit his shot and it trundled wide.

The veteran striker, replaced after an hour by Freddie Kanoute, almost atoned with a right-wing dash and a good cross a minute later to Trevor Sinclair.

The occasional England international timed his late run down the centre to perfection and flung himself spectacularly at the ball - only to put his header a yard or so wide of the target.

But West Ham, who could find no room for fit-again Paolo di Canio, paid for their failure to convert their chances when the indefatigable Beattie struck bravely just before the break.

Hammers had taken over after a sluggish start and Joe Cole was just beginning to buzz when Saints suddenly found their range.

First Matt Oakley tried his luck from distance and finished just wide before setting up Beattie with his first real opportunity in the 42nd minute.

That was also just off target - but a taste of things to come.

After the industrious Sinclair blocked another Saints shot, this time by David Prutton, and Fabrice Fernandes stretched James with a follow-up effort from 18 yards, Beattie made his mark.

Hammers claimed Chris Marsden handled when he hooked the ball into the goalmouth after taking Brett Ormerod's pass on the run, but Beattie only had eyes for the opening.

He looked distinct second favourite behind Rufus Brevett to get to the ball first but charged in like a Grand National winner to make sufficient contact to end James's run of five consecutive clean sheets for Hammers and England.

Even with Fernandes failing to make contact in front of a gaping goal from Ormerod's cross and Michael Svensson heading the Frenchman's centre just over the top, it looked enough for Saints to extend their unbeaten run to five games.

So it did, but Defoe's cool strike took a little of the heat out of the Cup fever for Gordon Strachan's men and will have given Hammers a boost if not a lift.

Teams

Southampton: Niemi, Telfer, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Bridge, Fernandes (Anders Svensson 77), Oakley, Prutton, Marsden, Beattie, Ormerod (Davies 67).

Subs Not Used: Jones, Higginbotham, Tessem.

Booked: Fernandes, Marsden, Michael Svensson.

Goals: Beattie 44.

West Ham: James, Johnson, Pearce, Repka, Brevett, Sinclair, Bowyer, Cole, Lomas (Cisse 45), Les Ferdinand (Kanoute 58), Defoe.

Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Hutchison, Dailly.

Booked: Bowyer, Cole.

Goals: Defoe 83.

Att: 31,941

Ref: M Messias (N Yorkshire).