Table-topping Middlesbrough extended their unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw at Southampton thanks to Kaly Sene's late equaliser to cancel out Adam Armstrong's opener.

Rob Edwards' side have won five and drawn two of their opening seven games to sit four points clear at the top of the Championship.

It is Boro's best league start for 149 years, whilst Will Still is still searching for answers at Southampton.

Still had made six changes from the last league game, in an attempt to breathe new life into his stuttering Southampton side who have now won just one of their last 21 league games.

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The Saints manager opted to keep faith with many of the players who had played at Anfield in the League Cup on Tuesday, where they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Liverpool.

Edwards, by contrast, had little reason to change things and seven of the line-up at St Mary's have started every Championship game this season, a testament to the speed with which Edwards has got his squad organised.

Finn Azaz moved from Boro to Southampton at the end of the transfer window and the visiting supporters made their feelings known to him throughout, booing his every touch.

Southampton started well and Armstrong was lively down their left and turned sharply to shoot at Sol Brynn in one of the home side's early chances.

Azaz should have put Saints ahead on 33 minutes after George Edmundson's block fell straight to him but he blazed over.

Still's side then had another great chance on the stroke of half-time as Joshua Quarshie headed Ryan Manning's corner down into the ground and over the bar from a few yards out.

Edwards' side were able to impose themselves much more at the start of the second half. David Strelec had a rare opportunity to shoot on 59 minutes but saw his effort blocked by Caspar Jander.

Tom Fellows had been bright for Southampton throughout and provided the assist for Armstrong's brilliant volleyed finish as Saints took the lead just after an hour as he crossed from the right.

Edwards soon made four substitutions in an attempt to find a way back and Boro forced a series of corners.

With the pressure building, one of those subs had the desired impact as Sene latched on to Luke Ayling's beautifully weighted pass to score from a tight angle via a flick off Nathan Wood.

Southampton searched for a late winner but Edwards' men dug in and "we are top of the league" rang out from the away end as the full-time whistle blew.

The managers

Southampton's Will Still:

"For large periods of that game, we've been in control and dominating and causing them quite a lot of problems. I think we've scored a great goal, but we've just left them in it and haven't punished them when we had the opportunity to do so and kill the game off.

"In the end, it was a third of a chance that's got them a really unlucky goal for us. It symbolises where we're at, what it looks like and how things are turning for us.

"There's only one way that you influence that luck and change, that is by keeping believing in what we're doing, by working, by sticking at it and by staying positive.

"I think Arma has been top-notch. We had a chat over the break before we came back into the club. I think he's realised what he wants to do. He's come back incredibly fit.

"I don't think anyone's ever seen Arma that fit. He wants to be important and he wants to put his mark on this Southampton team."

Middlesbrough's Rob Edwards:

"It was really difficult game. I think you have seen how good they are.

"Southampton are a really good team. They're in a false position at the moment and they've got a lot of good players."

Sene, who scored his first goal for the club in the win against West Brom last week, latched on to a pass from Luke Ayling and scored from the tightest of angles in front of the away end, with the ball deflecting off Saints' Nathan Wood.

"He's hit some of the highest heights as a really young player," said Edwards of the former Juventus and Lausanne striker.

"And he's shown a lot of fight and determination and obviously good play as well and good quality to get where he is right now.

"I think he's got a high ceiling. He's a good lad. He's quiet, smiles and goes about his business well."

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