West Brom 0 Southampton 0: Relegation continues to stare West Brom and Southampton in the face after a result that will please neither side.

Albion remain rooted to the foot of the Premiership, which is perhaps unsurprising as Bryan Robson's side have won just one league game at The Hawthorns since the start of October.

As for Southampton, although they leapfrog Norwich into 18th with this point, they have not won away from home for 16 matches, stretching back to April last year. The woodwork came to the rescue of both as they fought for their Premiership lives.

Midway through the first half a stroke of ingenuity from the in-form Henri Camara almost led to the striker making it five goals in four appearances for Southampton since his loan arrival from Celtic last month.

Rory Delap whipped a long-range curled pass in behind the Albion defence for Camara to race onto and attempt an angled lob over the stranded Russell Hoult, only to see the ball drift wide of the right-hand post.

A few minutes later it was Graeme Le Saux playing a rangy ball forward, this time Paul Robinson's hesitation almost allowing Nigel Quashie to steal in, but an alert Hoult cleared.

The first booking followed for Delap after barging into the back of Jonathan Greening, before Richardson then twice came close to breaking the deadlock, only for an eventful minute to end with a caution.

Southampton skipper Claus Lundekvam first blocked Richardson's goal-bound drive from point-blank range and then seconds later he unleashed a 25-yard rocket that crashed against the crossbar with Paul Smith rooted to the spot.

Richardson became the second name to be taken by referee Mike Riley because as Southampton broke after his shot had ricocheted a considerable distance up field, he hauled down Jamie Redknapp.

The visitors hit back six minutes before the break when Quashie fed Le Saux out wide to the left for a cross to the heart of the area where an all-alone Camara powered a header towards goal from seven yards, but was denied by a brilliant reaction save from Hoult.

The half ended with Zoltan Gera booked for a late challenge on Olivier Bernard.

Inside two minutes of the second half, Bernard was also cautioned, blocking Gera after the Hungary international had made his way into Riley's notebook just before the break.

After a fifth booking of the game, this time for Redknapp for his block on Richardson, Camara should have given Southampton the lead midway through the half.

Bernard delivered a raking pass down the left wing for Camara to chase, and with his pace he first left Thomas Gaardsoe on the seat of his shorts before he then cut inside Neil Clement, but he scooped his shot over the bar.

WEST BROM: Hoult, Albrechtsen, Gaardsoe, Clement, Robinson, Gera (Scimeca 81), Wallwork, Richardson (Koumas 74), Greening, Campbell, Earnshaw. Subs Not Used: Purse, Horsfield, Kuszczak. Booked: Richardson, Gera.

SOUTHAMPTON: Smith, Delap, Lundekvam, Jakobsson, Bernard, Prutton, Redknapp, Quashie, Le Saux, Camara, Crouch. Subs Not Used: Phillips, Higginbotham, Poke, Telfer, Davenport. Booked: Delap, Bernard, Redknapp.

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).