ALBION extended their unbeaten start to the season on the south coast by bagging a second successive hard-earned point on the road.
Only a fine save from Saints' summer signing Kelvin Davis denied John Hartson a second-minute opener.
But the Baggies suffered a blow when Nathan Ellington limped off before the break with a hamstring injury for the second time in four days.
Albion rarely threatened after 'the Duke's' departure and were subjected to lengthy spells of Saints pressure after the break, with teenage sensation Gareth Bale smashing the woodwork from a 78th-minute free-kick.
But while Albion's search for a win on Saints soil has stretched to 37 years, boss Bryan Robson will draw positives from the way his side dug in to bag what could prove another vital away point following Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Cardiff.
Robson named an unchanged starting XI for the third successive game.
The only change came on the bench where new goalkeeping recruit Luke Steele replaced Russell Hoult.
The Baggies, sporting their new green-and-yellow third kit for the first time, made a flying start and a deft back-heel volley by Ellington gave Zoltan Gera the chance to swing in a cross from the right byline.
Hartson climbed highest to plant a firm header towards the bottom right-hand corner of the net, but Davis dived full length to scoop the ball away and deny the Hawthorns hitman his third goal of the season.
Three minutes later, Gera won the ball off Bale and whipped in a fierce left-foot drive from 18 yards which former Ipswich keeper Davis did well to hold.
But Albion were not having it all their own way and when Bale picked out Grzegorz Rasiak in the box, the giant Pole headed back across goal for Bradley Wright-Phillips to fire an ambitious overhead kick over the bar.
Hartson breathed a sigh of relief in the 12th minute as he only picked up a yellow card for a high-footed challenge on Swede Alexander Ostlund.
Chris Perry, a rock at the back throughout, proved his ever-reliable self again moments later as he dived in to block Rudi Skacel's strike from just outside the area.
Robson was forced into a change in the 26th minute as Ellington came off before half time with a hamstring injury for the second game running.
Darren Carter replaced the £3million striker and slotted in at right midfield, with Gera partnering Hartson in attack as in Tuesday's Ninian Park draw.
Former Blues man Carter almost made an instant impact as he curled a 20-yard free-kick inches wide of the left-hand angle of goal.
Seven minutes before the break, Wright-Phillips broke dangerously onto Rasiak's prod forward and, from 15 yards, forced a good save from Pascal Zuberbuhler low to his right.
Ex-Manchester City young gun Wright-Phillips then let fly with a 25-yard drive which Swiss international Zuberbuhler confidently watched sail past his right-hand post.
In the final minute of the half, Perry made an uncharacteristic error as he missed Bale's curling cross and allowed the ball to bounce through to Rasiak.
But the former Derby striker's weak overhead kick flew straight to Zuberbuhler.
Albion did the early pressing at the start of the second half but when Wright-Phillips forced skipper Curtis Davies to head back towards his own goal, Rasiak looked clean through.
However, the World Cup striker chose to hit his shot early from 20 yards - and straight down Zuberbuhler's throat.
The Saints came a whisker away from taking the lead in the 59th minute when John Viafara's blocked shot fell to Ostlund, whose low drive across the six-yard box flew inches past Wright-Phillips' outstretched boot.
The ever-alert Rasiak caught the visitors on the hop in the 67th minute when he played a quick free-kick through to Wright-Phillips.
The pacey Saints forward took the ball in his stride and unleashed a 15-yard exocet which flew inches wide of the far post from a difficult angle.
Robson made a double change four minutes later as Ronnie Wallwork and Jonathan Greening made way for Junichi Inamoto and former St Mary's loan star Richard Chaplow respectively.
Saints substitute Andrew Surman's corner broke kindly for Chris Baird in the 74th minute but the Southampton centre-half lacked composure and screwed his effort horribly wide from 12 yards.
Davies' foul on Rasiak in the 78th minute presented free-kick specialist Bale with a shooting chance.
The left-back expertly curled the ball around the wall, only to see his effort bounce off the foot of Zuberbuhler's right-hand post before Davies made amends by clearing the rebound.
Albion pushed forward in the closing stages and Gera almost spectacularly converted Steve Watson's right-wng cross with an overhead kick which flew just wide of the right-hand post.
The final chance fell to the hosts when Wright-Phillips saw his jet-heeled run into the box brought to a halt by last-man Perry's wonderfully-timed tackle.
SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): Davis; Ostlund, Baird, Pele, Bale; Belmadi, Wright, Viafara, Skacel (Surman 57); Wright-Phillips, Rasiak (Jones 83). Subs not used: Poke (gk), Cranie, Dyer.
ALBION (4-4-2): Zuberbuhler; Watson, C Davies, Perry, Robinson; Gera, Wallwork (Inamoto 71), Quashie, Greening (Chaplow 71); Ellington (Carter 26), Hartson. Subs not used: Steele (gk), Albrechtsen.
BOOKINGS: SOUTHAMPTON - Belmadi (ungentlemanly conduct 36). ALBION - Hartson (foul 12), Quashie (foul 34).
GOALS: None.
REFEREE: S Tanner (Avon).
ATTENDANCE: 24,233.
ALBION STARMAN: Curtis Davies.
(PICS BY LAURIE RAMPLING)
