IT was a day when the burden of victory was to ultimately triumph over hope.

After the memorable draw at Highbury and the gradual return from injury of several key players, there had been a buzz around Saints in the build-up to the visit of West Brom on Saturday.

They were at home. They were coming off their best display of the season. And they were taking on a managerless newly-promoted team.

Surely that desperately needed first Premiership victory under head coach Steve Wigley would unfold? And perhaps it would finally kickstart the season.

They were certainly the expectations among the vast majority of a season-best attendance of 31,057 at St Mary's.

Indeed, when Saints took the lead on 28 minutes after dominating the opening exchanges with some bright and purposeful football, it seemed that everyone had read the script.

Mikael Nilsson had been well tackled by Paul Robinson after a surging run into the West Brom penalty area, but the ball rebounded to Paul Telfer.

He swung in an excellent cross to the unmarked Anders Svensson who guided a precise header clinically past Russell Hoult.

The sense of relief was instantly tangible. Saints seemed to be well on their way to what would be a comfortable victory.

But if a light was shining through at the end of the tunnel, its effect was simply to temporarily blind Wigley's players.

Rather than now take the game by the scruff of the neck and impose themselves, the scent of a first league win since August 21 brought an instant attack of the jitters.

Seconds after Saints had taken the lead, Zoltan Gera crossed into the penalty area to find Jonathan Greening unchallenged.

He headed down towards Robert Earnshaw, who applied the faintest of touches to steer the ball past Alan Blayney in the Saints goal.

It should have been a routine save for the Ulsterman - Saints' third choice goalkeeper who was only playing after injuries to Antti Niemi (knee) and Paul Smith (thumb).

But, then again, Greening should never have been allowed so much space in the first place.

Saints looked shell-shocked and things were to get much worse before they got better. Eight minutes later, Greening played the ball into the penalty area, but the danger could have been cleared.

Saints didn't and it bounced out for Earnshaw to fire home. Cue another exuberant somersault celebration.

There was little chance on this occasion for Blayney, although you had to wonder whether Niemi's huge presence would have inspired greater calm at such a critical stage of the match.

Yet Saints were to rely on their goalkeeper to prevent the match slipping away totally.

Either side of half-time, Blayney was called upon to make acrobatic saves from Gera and then Neil Clement.

Earnshaw also had a chance to complete his hat-trick when Jelle van Damme miscued a clearance on 48 minutes only for the Welshman to miss a glorious opportunity with an overhead kick from just six yards out.

Wigley was decisive in making changes and there was a much-needed reshuffle when Neil McCann was introduced in the 59th minute for Andreas Jakobsson, followed by Brett Ormerod for young Dexter Blackstock.

Saints now pinned West Brom back and surged forward in search of an equaliser.

But, despite plenty of possession and hard-work, they were struggling to carve out clear chances as the final delivery became increasingly predictable and edgy.

Saints might have been dominating, but the frustration among the crowd was understandably mounting.

Yet, in Svensson, who had moved inside from the left of midfield, they had a constant source of hope.

And the persistence was somewhat fortuitously rewarded after the Swede's shot deflected past Hoult's near-post off Robinson with just three minutes remaining.

Saints could even have been victorious in the dying seconds when McCann's cute pass found Rory Delap who shot when a pullback would have presented a simple finish. It rather summed things up.

On the bright side, it is now three league games unbeaten and there was the knowledge Saints would have found themselves bottom of the table had it not been for the late equaliser.

Yet the overwhelming feeling was still of a big opportunity missed.

They were the better team for long periods and had they hung-on and beaten Arsenal, you sense they would also have won this match.

But self-belief seems in short supply and the longer the victory drought lasts, the harder it is getting to win.

After the Carling Cup tie at Watford tomorrow, they have three more good chances this month with the derby against Pompey taking on huge significance.

Saturday was a great opportunity to ease some of the pressure, although West Brom - also short of confidence - will feel exactly the same having led for virtually an hour of the match.

It was an occasion when neither team quite had it in them to win.