Southampton got their League One campaign under way with a 1-1 draw with Millwall on Saturday.
Abdou cancels out Paterson goal as it finishes all-square
Southampton got their League One campaign under way with a 1-1 draw with Millwall on Saturday.
It was a mixed afternoon for new Saints boss Alan Pardew, whose side took an early second-half lead through Matthew Paterson's composed finish.
But the Lions made sure they would not suffer any hangover from last season's play-off final defeat as Nadjim Abdou's powerful header ensured the St Mary's fixture ended a point apiece.
Saints have failed to win on the opening day since they beat Coventry City back in their Premier League heyday a decade ago and it looked as if it would be much the same as Millwall enjoyed the better start of the two teams.
But after a slow opening 25 minutes in the third tier of English football, the hosts sparked into life with young starlet Morgan Schneiderlin going close with two speculative chips in the first half.
Clinical
And it was not long into the restart that Saints opened the scoring when 19-year-old Paterson beat the offside trap to clinically finish Chris Perry's knock down in the 51st minute.
But the visitors responded and were back on level terms despite missing a penalty in what was a turbulent three-minute peppering of Southampton's goalmouth.
The Lions were awarded a penalty in the 64th minute, albeit in slightly dubious fashion after Wayne Thomas bundled substitute Jason Price to the ground.
Alan Dunne stepped up but Kelvin Davis was more than a match for the striker's effort and he looked to have rescued Saints from danger with a super double save.
But the Saints shot-stopper was not to keep that feeling as Abdou's perfectly placed header sailed past the helpless Davis as the visitors claimed a deserved point.
