KEVIN Phillips went from ex-Saint to sinner in Southampton eyes as his 45th-minute leveler against his former club rescued Albion a hard-earned point in this top-of-the-table clash.
The former England international's 13th of the season cancelled out Kenwyne Jones' 18th-minute opener in a pulsating Hawthorns encounter.
Tony Mowbray's men were probably the more relieved side to finish this fixture level as their eight-game winning run on home soil was finally halted by a dangerous Southampton outfit.
The Baggies ground staff had done a sterling job to rid the stadium of any visible snow before kick off, although temperatures remained low inside the stadium.
Albion started the day three points better off than Southampton as third hosted fifth.
Entertainment seemed to be the order of the day as Albion, the Championship's joint-top scorers on home soil (37), prepared to lock horns with a Saints side that had netted more times on their travels than any other team in the division (27).
Mowbray's men started brightly and a flowing move from the edge of their own box resulted in Koumas sending a right-footed cross-cum-shot into the box which fizzed inches past the far post.
However, the game's first major talking point arrived at the other end in the sixth minute.
Referee Mike Pike penalised last-man Curtis Davies for fouling Saints striker Jones just outside the Baggies box, even though the Albion skipper appeared to get a touch on the ball.
The Cumbria official elected to book Davies rather than sentence him to an extremely early bath.
Free-kick specialist Gareth Bale curled the resulting set-piece harmlessly over the bar.
The recalled Zoltan Gera's persistence on the edge of the visitors' box earned him a shooting opportunity in the 13th minute, but he leathered the awkward bouncing ball high into the Smethwick End.
Just 60 seconds later, Koumas went much closer with a 25-yard drive which flew just over Kelvin Davis' bar.
Southampton were the next side to try their luck from distance, with Rudi Skacel dragging a left-footed shot wide.
Moments later, Jones looped a header onto the roof of the net from Andrew Surman's right-wing centre.
But it was first blood to George Burley's side in the 18th minute.
Top-scorer Grzegorz Rasiak ghosted in behind the Albion defence to whip John Viafara's pass across the face of goal and the unmarked Jones had the simple task of tapping home from close range.
The conditions were hardly conducive to free-flowing football and the game descended into a scrappy period before the next moment of note arrived some 14 minutes later.
Davies denied Skacel an almost certain goal by blocking his close-range effort after the ball had fallen kindly for the Saints midfielder following Paul McShane's last-ditch tackle.
Albion regrouped and Phillips saw a low drive fly across the face of goal from Gera's neat pass into the box.
Gera went even closer when he lashed a half-volley just wide from 15 yards after Kamara's cross had deflected off Jermaine Wright and fallen kindly for the Hungarian international.
Kamara was also frustrated when he shrugged off Bale's attentions and cut into the box before seeing a low drive deflected wide by Chris Baird.
Albion were gradually getting closer and clawed themselves level in the final minute of the half.
A flowing right-wing move appeared to lose its momentum when Baird got his head to McShane's centre.
However, the ball ballooned to the unmarked Koumas in the box.
The Welsh wizard scuffed his volley but his effort fell kindly to Phillips on the edge of the six-yard box who tucked the ball past Davis with the outside of his boot.
Both sides came out of the interval fighting and powerhouse striker Jones recorded the first effort on goal, turning neatly on the edge of the box before dragging a left-footed shot well wide.
There was a lot more purpose about Albion's play in the second half and Gera drew a fine save out of Davis with a 20-yard right-foot rocket.
Seconds later, Saints centre-half Claus Lundekvam had to take evasive action from underneath his own bar to head away Phillips' centre with the unmarked Kamara lurking behind.
As the Baggies pressure intensified, Bale saved the visitors' skin by clearing Koumas' cross-cum-shot off the line after the former Tranmere ace had ghosted past full-back Chris Makin.
Davis then did well to block McShane's towering far-post header from Koumas' corner before the danger was cleared.
Southampton earned some respite when Bale was afforded far too much space down the Albion right.
The Welsh international swept the ball across the face of a crowded goalmouth but, to Albion's great relief, it somehow evaded everyone.
Mowbray made his first throw of the dice in the 64th minute when he replaced Phillips with Nathan Ellington.
Southampton regrouped and Albion were grateful to two last-ditch blocks in quick succession from Davies and Paul Robinson to keep out dangerous-looking shots from Bale and Wright.
Wright tried his luck from distance again in the 69th minute and saw a 25-yard grass-cutter arc just wide of the far post.
It was the South Coast outfit who were now asking all the questions and only a brilliant Dean Kiely double save kept Albion level in the 72nd minute.
The former Portsmouth shot-stopper first dived full stretch to palm away Skacel's low 20-yard drive.
And he sprung back onto his feet to somehow block Surman's follow-up.
Albion had another - this time controversial - let-off in the 74th minute.
Kiely appeared to block Jones' goalbound poke outside the box with his arm, but referee Pike claimed the ball had struck the Baggies No.31's chest.
A Neil Clement mistake then presented Saints sub Marek Saganowski with a clear sight of goal, only for the Polish international to wastefully blaze high over the bar.
But Albion weathered the Saints storm and could have nicked a winner right at the death.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Darren Carter fed fellow sub Sherjill MacDonald on the edge of the area but the Dutch Under-21 star's right-footed drive flew straight at Davis.
ALBION (4-4-2): Kiely; McShane, C Davies, Clement, Robinson; Gera (Carter 85), Koren, Chaplow, Koumas; Phillips (Ellington 64), Kamara (MacDonald 77). Subs not used: Zuberbuhler (gk), Albrechtsen.
SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): Davis; Makin, Baird, Lundekvam, Bale; Surman, Wright, Viafara, Skacel; Rasiak (Saganowski 61), Jones. Subs not used: Bialkowski (gk), Ostlund, Wright-Phillips, Licka.
GOALS: ALBION - Phillips (45). SOUTHAMPTON - Jones (18).
BOOKINGS: ALBION - Davies (foul 6), Robinson (ungentlemanly conduct 29), Koren (foul 90+3).
REFEREE: M Pike (Cumbria).
ATTENDANCE: 21,138.
ALBION STARMAN: Richard Chaplow.
(PICS BY LAURIE RAMPLING)
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