The U's kept their unbeaten Championship away record intact with a battling draw at Southampton as a deflected Mark Yeates effort equalized Wright-Phillips opener for the home side.

A goalless first half saw Kevin Lisbie coming closest to scoring but it was the home side who had provided most of the attacking action in the first period.

Both goals came in the early part of the second half and the U's were good value for a point from the 1-1 draw.

With Matthew Connolly serving a one match suspension for his red card on Saturday, Geraint Williams decided Pat Baldwin's defensive partner would be Adam Virgo.

The other changes from the team that was unlucky not to win on Saturday were Aidan Davison replacing Dean Gerken in goal and Clive Platt coming in for Teddy Sheringham.

Saints boss George Burley might have felt a bit aggrieved after the weekend's fixtures as the Saints led 2-1 with less than ten minutes remaining before Watford scored two late goals to win the match.

The former U's manager made two changes, with Skacel and Wright- Phillips coming into the starting eleven.

The supporters of both clubs have been spoilt for goals so far this season, with a total of forty one being scored in the ten games the two sides have been involved in.

Williams insisted that they were coming to St Marys looking for a win and said after Saturday's draw that he wanted a better defensive display from his side.

On an immaculate surface, the U's kicked off with the visiting fans behind them, both literally and vocally.

It was the home side that started betterthough, with two efforts on Davison's goal that could have given them the lead.

First, it was an excellent thirty yard effort from Safri that moved in the air and was held at the second time of asking by the U's keeper. Then Viafara got clear of the visiting defence but could only drag his shot wide of the far upright.

On sixteen minutes, the away fans held their breath as Davison came out at the feet of Nathan Dyer and tumbled as he rolled the ball into space in the penalty area.

No whistle came from the referee though and the ball rolled to safety for a goal kick.

The Southampton defence wasn't being tested too often and it was Davison who was the busiest keeper, saving again in the twenty eighth minute.

A cross into the box found Rasiak and his header was well saved by a retreating Davison at his far post.

Just as the home side was thinking they were having their own way, they conspired to give the U's two chances to open the scoring.

Kem Izzet broke from midfield and looked to have given the ball away as Thomas went to intercept. His touch deserted him and the ball ran under his foot to Kevin Lisbie.

The U's forward, on a run of three goals in three games, was clean through but slid the ball past the post as Kelvin Davis advanced out of the Saints goal.

Lisbie nearly benefited from another mistake seconds later but the assistant referee's flag denied him. Mark Yeates was gifted the ball on the U's right wing but his cross found Lisbie half a yard offside.

That was the last chance of the first half and while Geraint Williamsd would have been happy not to have conceded, he could be forgiven for thinking it should have been 1-0 to the U's at half time.

The Saints came out for the second half in determined mood and it only took them seven minutes to open the scoring, with a shot on the turn from Wright-Phillips.

Skacel retained possession on the left and his cross found the forward inside the box.

He turned sharply and hit a shot inside Davison's post with the vetaren standing no chance. Seven minutes later, the U's were back in it though as Skacel deflected a Mark Yeates cross past Davis.

The U's were coming back into the game and Kevin Lisbie volleyed over before Yeates went on a run that finished with him shooting straight at Davis.

As the game entered the last five minutes, Rasiak shot wide and Clive Platt had a header well saved but both sides were denied chances by good defending and both managers had to settle for a point that kept the U's unbeaten record away from home in the league intact.

U's: Davison, Duguid, Baldwin, Virgo, Elokobi, Yeates, Izzet, Jackson, McLeod (Granville), Lisbie, Platt.

Unused Subs: Gerken, Guy, Guttridge White