Dan Harding's first Saints goal was cancelled out by Cleveland Taylor as things ended all square against Brentford at St. Mary's...

Referee Dave Phillips got things underway in bright sunshine at St. Mary's and the home side almost made a dream start as Matthew Paterson found himself in front of goal with just 30 seconds on the clock.

The young striker, who netted his first goal at home in the opening day clash against Millwall took a touch, but then shot straight at the Brentford 'keeper right in front of a noisy Northam crowd.

Another near miss for Saints!

The bright beginning from both sides continued as new arrival Neal Trotman made his first contribution in a Saints shirt moments later to deny Myles Weston's early shot on goal at the opposite end of the field.

Brentford then created another goalscoring opportunity, but Sam Wood somehow managed to drag his left footed shot across the face of goal when it looked easier to score.

A foul on Carl Cort gave the visitors a close-range free kick from an awkward angle a minute later, but Rickie Lambert got back well to head the ball clear.

As the pace of the game began to relax, Saints won a free-kick of their own on 13 minutes, after a push on Lambert, and the new striker's low shot from the edge of the area needed a solid save from Lewis Price, who got down well to his left and parried the ball away.

David Hunt then planted a cross right onto the head of Ryan Dickson a minute later, but his looping attempt was an easy catch for Kelvin Davis.

Alan Pardew's men were looking solid in the middle of the park, with debutant Dean Hammond neatly playing the ball out well as Saints looked for options.

However, Brentford almost gifted Southampton the lead in the 16th minute, as a mistake at the back from Foster let Jacob Mellis in on the left.

With the crowd in its feet, the young Chelsea loanee ran the ball diagonally in on goal, but snatched at his shot slightly and only managed to ripple the side netting.

In a dramatic twist of fortune, both sides struck the post within two minutes of each other, with Lallana first latching onto a Lambert delivery in the 25th minute.

As the ball came in from the left, the Saints number 20 directed the ball in on goal but could only watch on as it struck Price's left upright and was scrambled away.

Brentford then returned the favour almost immediately, as Sam Wood's downwards header ricocheted off the base of Kelvin Davis' post as both sides strived for an opener.

Play was held up in the 34th minute as Trotman received treatment on the field from the Saints physio, before the Preston loanee almost gave his new side the lead just two minutes later.

Lallana's high corner kick was headed back across goal by Hammond and Trotman leaped up well but headed agonizingly over the Brentford bar.

With chances at both ends of the pitch, it was turning into an entertaining encounter as Davis got down well to his right to save a low shot from Kevin O'Connor in a central position.

Weston then used his pace to break free with just two minutes of the first half left but fired a yard over under pressure from Chris Perry.

Half-Time: Saints 0-0 Brentford

Saints boss Alan Pardew made a double switch at the start of the second half with Paterson and Mellis making way for Saganowski and Thomson.

Dan Harding picked up the game's first booking in the 48th minute after the referee called the former-Ipswich man back from a previous transgression.

David Hunt gave the home fans a scare on 55 minutes as he took the ball to the by-line and sent a raking ball across the face of the Saints goal, but was unable to pick out a colleague for what would have been a simple finish.

Just past the hour, some quick thinking from Neal Trotman helped shield the ball and allowed Davis the time to collect with Weston lurking dangerously.

With both sides still battling hard to break the deadlock, Saints won a free-kick 20 yards out to the left of goal, but Lambert's strong shot was deflected up and over by the Brentford wall.

With twenty minutes left to play, Weston was next to be left frustrated as he unleashed a low shot, which was subsequently pulled back for offside.

Saints eventually took the lead on 73 minutes as Dean Hammond's diagonal cross to the far post was headed back into play by Lambert and fired home by HARDING, who controlled well and finished from three yards out.

Brentford boss Andy Scott made his first substitution in the aftermath of the goal, with Steve Kabba replacing Myles Weston.

He then quickly followed suit two minutes later by sending on Cleveland Taylor for Sam Saunders, and the new man leveled things up for the Bees in the 81st minute.

A strong run down the left flank by Ryan Dickson brought the ball to the by-line and the Brentford midfielder crossed into the box to allow TAYLOR to score past Davis with a superb diving header.

With three minutes of normal time to go, Pardew switched Rasiak for Lambert with his final role of the dice, however a quick in-swinging ball from Hunt was almost flicked home by Kabba as the Bees sensed the chance to take all three points.

An additional four minutes were added by the fourth official and Saints built up slowly from the back, but Saganowski was only able to head a deep cross high over the bar.

The referee also waved away claims of a Brentford handball in the box as the clock ticked down, but there was still more drama to come.

A stinging injury time shot from Morgan Schneiderlin forced a magnificent late save from Price and gave the hosts a flurry of corner kicks, but things ended all square at St. Mary's with Saints now down to minus eight points.

Full-Time: Saints 1-1 Brentford.