SAINTS produced one of the shock results on Boxing Day 1991 when they held high-flying Leeds United to a 3-3 draw at Elland Road.

It was a sunny interlude in a bleak midwinter for Saints when the side managed by Ian Branfoot were trailing along in the bottom two. Leeds on the other hand were challenging strongly for the title and five months later were to be crowned champions.

But their manager Howard Wilkinson wasn't smiling after United, without their injured midfield general Gordon Strachan, let a two-goal lead slip against struggling Saints.

Iain Dowie, noted more for his dogged determination than his deadly finishing, had one of his better days, scoring twice and breaking Leeds' hearts with a last-minute equaliser.

Leeds had won 4-0 at The Dell earlier in the season and no-one gave Saints a chance in the return.

And when two moments of defensive slackness let United in for two goals midway through the first half the match looked like running true to form.

Mel Sterland, United's rugged, rampaging right-back, was the architect of both goals. The England international swept over a 27th minute cross which centre-forward Lee Chapman flicked fr Steve Hodge to finish at the far post.

Hodge was noted for his quick, elusive forward runs and Saints failed to pick him out two minutes later when another of Sterland's crosses wasn't dealt with and Hodge darted in unmarked to head past Tim Flowers.

Leeds were pouring all over Saints before the break and by now it seemed only a matter of damage limitation.

But they got to half-time without further punishment and just five minutes into the second-half reduced the deficit when Barry Horne broke from deep in midfield and switched the ball left to Mickey Adams. His cross eluded its intended target Alan Shearer but fell for Dowie to score from wide of the back post.

Gary Speed seemed to crush all hope of a Saints revival when he headed home from another Sterland cross after 72 minutes, but the visitors refused to throw in the towel and Shearer gave them hope when he turned and scored with a sweet shot from 25 yards.

There were just over ten minutes left for Saints to save it, and they did it right at the death as Shearer headed against the post from an Adams cross and Dowie bustled in to force home the rebound.

Teams:

Leeds United: Lukic, Sterland, Dorigo, Batty, McClelland, White, Hodge, Wallace, Chapman, McAllister, Speed. Subs: Kelly, Newsome.

Southampton: Flowers, Wood, Adams, Hurlock, Gittens, Moore, Horne, Cockerill, Shearer, Dowie, Gray. Subs: Dodd, Hall.

Referee: John Watson (Whitley Bay).

Attendance: 29,053.