Southampton held high-flying Plymouth to a goalless draw at St Mary's Stadium on Tuesday.
Plymouth forced to settle for a share of the spoils
Southampton held high-flying Plymouth to a goalless draw at St Mary's Stadium on Tuesday.
The result keeps the Saints perilously close to the relegation zone, but has opened up a bit of breathing space.
For Plymouth, the point extends their unbeaten run to four games and keeps them on the fringes of the play-off places.
The home side started well and had a shout for a penalty with five minutes gone when Bradley Wright-Phillips went down in the box amongst a crowd of bodies, but referee Andy D'Urso waved away the appeals.
Five minutes later David McGoldrick was inches away from giving Southampton the lead with an excellent snapshot from the edge of the area that was deflected just past the post.
Plymouth slowly began to find their rhythm and Jamie Mackie did go close with a shot from a tight angle that flew into the side netting.
However, it was Southampton who were making the better chances and Plymouth goalkeeper Romain Larrieu did well to tip Adam Lallana's shot round the post and, from the resulting corner, Jordan Robertson headed over.
Lacklustre
In first-half stoppage-time Wright-Phillips crossed for McGoldrick who headed wide from close range.
Plymouth looked lacklustre again at the start of the second half and 10 minutes after the break Paul Sturrock had seen enough, bringing Paul Gallagher and Craig Noone on for Mackie and Rory Fallon.
The changes had an almost immediate effect and Gallagher sent a shot wide from 20 yards before Mathias Doumbe crossed for Noone, who could not direct the header on target.
Just as Plymouth began to dominate, Southampton had the best chance of the match when McGoldrick latched onto Lallana's pass and rounded Larrieu, but his shot was superbly cleared off the line by Chris Barker.
Both sides were going all out for the opener and at the other end Luke Summerfield's corner found Marcel Seip who headed wide from close range.
Late on Noone found space inside the area once again but shot wide as neither side managed to find an elusive winner.
