SAM Allardyce wanted three points, was happy to settle for one then admitted it could have been worse after Wanderers managed to keep a second successive Premiership clean sheet.

The manager felt there was always a danger as his defence came under a sustained spell of second half pressure while the blustery weather that ruined the game as a spectacle might have had an even more significant bearing on the result.

"It could have made the difference between getting a point and losing the game," he suggested, "because anything freakish out there in that wind might have gone against us and cost us the game.

"In the end it was a very dogged performance and a hard-earned point.

"In my view it was a point gained. Playing away from home at this stage of the season, it was crucially important and difficult to expect us to win.

"We came though what was a difficult game with Southampton being very good at home and with the weather confitions we had to endure.

"I'm delighted with a point."

None of his recent signings was able to make a major impact in a game when the honours went to the defence but Allardyce felt the recent additions to his squad - Fredi Bobic, Stig Tofting, Youri Djorkaeff and Mario Espartero - had given him the strength in depth Wanderers will need to keep their head above the relegation waters.

Having acknowledged that life had been difficult for Djorkaeff under the circumstances - the pace of the Premiership, his lack of match practice and the weather conditions - he felt Espartero, signed on loan from French club Metz on Thursday, made his presence felt when he replaced Bobic 11 minutes from time.

"Youri has now had a taste of it and knows what to expect and Mario, who went on when the rest of the players had tired a little bit, made a few good runs and kept possession for us later on.

"The strength and the depth of the squad is important. Had we not had these players it might have been a different story because Per Frandsen and Paul Warhurst were back home (injured) and Simon Charlton was injured in the first half. That stretched us again but we coped. It's important that these new players who have come in - even though they haven't got to the top of their game yet which we expect - are there for us when we need them.

"Our worst spell was a 15-minute period in the second half when we lost our shape a little bit and Southampton put us under quite a lot of pressure but once we overcame that there was nothing. In the first half we had a couple of chances in the box without hitting the target and a good shot from Stig Tofting that brought a good save out of Paul Jones.

"Then, after weathering the situation, we had a nice last five to 10 minutes when we played well on the break and Rod (Wallace) had a couple of sniffs when, if he had taken his shots a little earlier, perhaps we might have nicked it.

"But from our point of view a point is extremely good."