Report: Saints held by Charlton in lively St Mary's clash

The first half had ended goalless after 45 minutes where Saints dominated everything but the scoreline, but that was quickly rectified within minutes of the restart when Ross Stewart headed home a deserved opener.

Against the run of play, however, Charlton responded to equalise through Sonny Carey's low driven shot from the edge of the area that set up an intense, feisty final 20 minutes that couldn't produce a winner.

Tonda Eckert opted for three changes from Saints' last league outing as he handed Shea Charles his first start since October, 11 days on from his late heroics against Leicester City.

Ross Stewart and Ryan Manning, two other goalscorers from that night at the King Power Stadium, were also restored to the starting line-up in place of Cameron Archer and Caspar Jander with Saints looking to earn a fifth consecutive win in all competitions.

Saints stepped out at St Mary's in support of Saints Foundation. (Photos: Matt Watson)

A lively crowd at St Mary's welcomed both sides onto the pitch as Saints were waved on by some lucky Saints Foundation participants to commemorate the club's annual charity matchday.

The Northam Wall followed with its own notable reception for Nathan Jones, as the Charlton manager made his return to St Mary's for the first time since his tenure at the club ended three years ago to the month.

On the pitch, Saints started well with their momentum accumulated from recent results; just three minutes in a clipped cross from Tom Fellows found Leo Scienza at the back post, who set himself perfectly to hit a curling volley that was cleared off the line by Lloyd Jones.

Possession was largely dominated by Saints as the first half continued, with the majority of the game being played in Charlton's half despite shooting opportunities not quite matching Scienza's early effort.

It took until the 25th minute for a flurry of more notable chances to arrive, as the game somehow remained goalless after a handful of well-worked openings.

A defence-splitting pass from Flynn Downes started the extended passage off, as he picked out Charles' darting run into the area that ended with a low angled shot at Thomas Kaminski's legs.

Leo Scienza's well-struck chance raised the energy levels early on.

A clever corner routine followed which reached Manning on the edge of the box, who connected well with his first-time, curling effort that agonisingly ricocheted off the crossbar - Saints were slowly edging closer to an opener, and the energy in the crowd responded accordingly.

Next to try his luck was Finn Azaz at the end of a patient, well-worked move, but the Irishman skewed his attempt high and wide when the ball popped up in his path after Scienza's driven cross wasn't fully cleared.

Charlton were struggling to deal with the red and white onslaught, and Saints should have been ahead just after the half hour mark. Another Scienza corner was this time flicked on by visiting defender Amari'i Bell towards former loan teammate James Bree, who rose high but headed over from mere yards out.

The visitors' closes effort came from Sonny Carey who dragged wide from the edge of the area after a recycled corner routine during Charlton's best, albeit fleeting, spell.

The stats at the break backed up Saints' dominance with the lion's share of possession, and 10 shots to Charlton's two, but crucially it remained goalless without a breakthrough.

However, just three minutes into the second half, the deadlock was finally broken through Stewart's second goal in as many league games; a Scienza cross reached the towering Scot who impressively guided a looping header behind himself and into the far corner.

Ross Stewart celebrates a deserved opening goal.

Saints were brimming with confidence again after opening the scoring, as Stewart stretched a leg inches away from a dangerous Bree cross from the right.

A minute later, Bree was alert again to win possession high, presenting Scienza with a shooting chance that he flashed over.

There was a momentary break in the flow of the game just before the hour mark though, when Charlton were denied a shock equaliser.

Lyndon Dykes pounced on a misjudged Jack Stephens header and rifled his shot in, only for it to be ruled out for an alleged handball as the Scot controlled the ball.

Hope for the visitors, perhaps, which was felt in full ten minutes later as an equaliser did arrive against the run of play.

Substitute Miles Leaburn, with his first act after coming onto the field, chopped inside from the left wing and found Carey on the edge of the area for a low driven shot that went through both defence and the gloves of Daniel Peretz to nestle in the bottom corner.

Tonda Eckert responded with a triple change, as Cyle Larin, Kuryu Matsuki, and Sam Edozie were called upon in place of Fellows, Stewart, and Scienza, with 20 minutes to restore the lead.

It was the visitors who continued to turn the screw though, causing confusion in the area from a deep free-kick that was flicked on by Lloyd Jones but lacked a decisive touch as Saints eventually cleared.

At the other end, Matsuki whipped in a cross towards Manning, whose contact lacked sufficient power to beat Kaminski from 10 yards out.

Both sides could sense a winner was to be found, as Charlton were next to go close when Leaburn - a game changer for the visitors - picked out Dykes in the box who headed over unmarked.

Tempers flared as the clock wore down when Flynn Downes and Conor Coady clashed, causing a brief melee as both players were cautioned and subsequently substituted in the build up to 10 minutes of stoppage time.

Caspar Jander darted into the area and pulled the ball back to Larin, who in turn helped on to Matsuki, who unfortunately slipped at the crucial moment before striking at goal.

Pressure was mounting as Saints camped in Charlton's half but stayed wary of a counter, knocking on the door with cross after cross and corner after corner but to no avail, with the referee's whistle calling time on another unbeaten game that ended with just one point rather than three at St Mary's.

Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens (c), Manning, Downes (Bragg 85'), Charles (Jander 64'), Fellows, Azaz, Sceinza, Stewart.

Subs not used: Long, Wood, Jelert, Matsuki, Edozie, Larin, Archer.

Goals: Stewart (48').

Booked: Downes (84')

Charlton Athletic: Kaminski, Sichenje (Clarke 90'), Jones, Bell, Ramsay, Coady (Coventry 85'), Docherty (c), Carey, Chambers, Dykes (Kelman 85'), Campbell (Leaburn 66').

Subs not used: Mannion, Gillesphey, Rankin-Costello, Berry, Febrier.

Goals: Carey (67').

Booked: Coady (84').

Attendance: 29,476.

Referee: John Busby.