Substitute Garry Parker converted a penalty two minutes into injury time to salvage a point for Leicester in a pulsating Premiership clash with Southampton at Filbert Street tonight.

Parker sent Saints keeper Paul Jones the wrong way from the spot after an apparent hand-ball by Matthew Le Tissier in a frantic goalmouth scramble.

But it was the result that neither side had wanted in the battle for a UEFA Cup place, as it leaves both sides on the fringe of the chasing pack in mid-table.

Southampton looked to have done enough to collect a fourth away win of the campaign thanks chiefly to two goals from Norwegian striker Egil Ostenstad, after surviving an incredible second-half bombardment.

Leicester camped in the Saints half for long periods, with wing-back Steve Guppy giving them a searching examination with a string of testing crosses.

They managed 15 shots on target, but a splendid display by Jones, desperate last-ditch defending and some poor finishing enabled them to survive until injury time.

Leicester dominated the early stages and Muzzy Izzet should have given them the lead when he latched onto a centre from Guppy.

But he failed to connect properly with his close-range shot, Jones being able to block his eventual effort and then turn behind the rebound header from Theo Zagorakis.

It was well against the run of play when Southampton broke the deadlock with their first worthwhile attack after 17 minutes.

Francis Benali won the ball in the air and found Le Tissier, whose precise pass freed Ostenstad and the Norwegian gave Leicester keeper Kasey Keller no chance with a low drive from 12 yards.

But within 60 seconds Martin O'Neill's side were level courtesy of a spectacular strike from midfielder Neil Lennon.

He dispossessed John Beresford, raced forward and sent a rising shot past Jones from 25 yards.

It was a deserved equaliser, but Beresford then atoned for his error by clearing a point-blank effort from Robbie Savage off the line.

Then, in the 27th minute, Ostenstad struck for the second time. Le Tissier played a short freekick to Jason Dodd and his cross picked out Ostenstad, who beat Keller with a glancing header.

The second half began in explosive manner with two goals in the space offour minutes.

Southampton gave themselves a two-goal cushion in the 49th minute, when a deep centre from Beresford was turned back by Le Tissier into the path of David Hirst, who had the simple task of tapping in.

But Leicester struck back and Matt Elliott gave them a lifeline in the 52nd minute, when he headed past Jones from close range.

That was the signal for a Leicester bombardment and Jones saving well from Guppy and substitute Ian Marshall, before Heskey shot wide from close in.

But the Saints held out until Parker kept a cool head to stroke a low penalty into the left-hand corner of the net.

Leicester: Keller, Savage, Guppy, Prior (Walsh 69), Elliott, Kaamark, Izzet, Lennon, Zagorakis (Parker 64), Fenton (Marshall 64), Heskey.

Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Wilson.

Goals: Lennon 18, Elliott 52, Parker 90 pen.

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Benali, Palmer, Lundekvam (Monkou 68), Dryden, Oakley, Beresford, Le Tissier, Ostenstad, Hirst.

Subs Not Used: Moss, Basham, Hughes, Richardson.

Booked: Lundekvam, Ostenstad.

Goals: Ostenstad 17, 27, Hirst 49.

Att: 20,708

Ref: G Poll (Tring).