By Martin Rowe
Both Stoke City and Southampton shared the spoils in a scintillating festive fixture at the Britannia Stadium as the match ended 3-3.
With Stoke City being unbeaten at home all season and after seeing the Potters dismantle Liverpool on Boxing Day with relative ease, it looked as though this one would be a home banker.
But it was Southampton who made the early breakthrough as Guly Do Prado – who was in to replace Gaston Ramirez who was dropped to the bench – crossed for Rickie Lambert to score his eighth of the season and silence the Stoke City faithful.
But the Potters were quick to bounce back as Kenwyne Jones fired over just moments before equalising.
The centre forward who was with the Saints between 2004 and 2007, back heeled the ball between Jos Hooiveld’s legs and past Kelvin Davis to draw level.
But the Saints didn’t hold back as they re-took the lead courtesy of Jay Rodriguez.
The striker scored only his second league goal after he reacted first after a miss-hit clearance by Robert Huth which rattled the bar before falling to Rodriguez who couldn’t miss from two yards out.
Then the Saints found themselves in dreamland when they went 3-1 up, a simple cross from Jason Puncheon was eventually sliced horribly into his own net by Andy Wilkinson while under pressure.
With the second half beginning it was a case of the Saints weathering the storm from Stoke City.
And they found the Saints tough to break down until Matthew Upson netted his first of the season to make it 3-2.
Just prior to that Do Prado had a wonderful chance to seal victory but shot wide after Stoke’s former Pompey keeper Asmir Begovic saved well to deny Jay Rodriguez initially.
Stoke City then had their charge halted as Steven N’Zonzi was sent off for a foul on Jack Cork.
But then drama as Stoke City pulled it all square with the goal of the game.
Coming in the last minute of the 90, Kenwyne Jones’ knockdown wasn’t controlled well by Peter Crouch before it fell to Cameron Jerome who hit an absolute piledriver.
Both teams ended with a point and its 17 games unbeaten at home for Stoke City, while Southampton will feel they should have wrapped the game up – having been 3-1 up at one stage.