Saturday's Premiership photos Blackburn reaction Southampton reaction

Cole slotted between the legs of Southampton keeper Antti Niemi after the interval following a spell of pinball in the Saints penalty area.

The visitors had taken the lead when recalled James Beattie set up Kevin Phillips to stroke the ball home.

Both sides had chances to win it but Niemi saved after Cole's run, Phillips slammed a shot narrowly wide and Dwight Yorke miscued from a header.

Blackburn have the worst home record in the Premiership and another two dropped points leaves them just five points above the drop zone.

They nearly went a goal down inside the first minute when Michael Svensson powered a header wide from Jason Dodd's corner, but they did not have to wait too much longer to fall behind.

After five minutes another Dodd cross was headed down by Beattie and Phillips held off Markus Babbel to slot past Brad Friedel for his seventh goal of the season.

KEY MOMENTS 5 mins: Phillips converts Beattie's knock-down 34 mins: Phillips flashes wide 52 mins: Cole equalises

Slowly Blackburn did haul themselves back into the game, and Paul Gallagher's cross narrowly evaded Brett Emerton before the Australian sent in a shot that Graeme Le Saux did well to block.

Rovers went close again when Jonathon Douglas forced an alert block from Niemi but Saints hit back as the influential Rory Delap saw his header from Fabrice Fernandes' centre tipped over the crossbar by Friedel.

Interview: Saints caretaker manager Steve Wigley

Blackburn continued to press for an equaliser before the break, but their lack of quality in the final third of the pitch was evident, Gallagher heading wide while David Prutton did well to block Michael Gray's free-kick.

It was the visitors who went closest to another goal and doubling their lead, another neat Beattie lay-off setting up Phillips to lash a drive just wide of Friedel's goal.

Phillips rifles home the opener for Southampton

Rovers boss Graeme Souness was clearly unimpressed at his side's first half display and he took Gallagher and Douglas off at the break, sending on Yorke and Matt Jansen.

And Rovers responded to their manager, pressing forward with Martin Andresen volleying just over from 25 yards after Beattie had half-cleared Emerton's corner.

They got their goal soon after, Cole taking advantage of a melee in the Saints penalty area to slam in a shot between the legs of Niemi.

Cole was flying, and he went close to a second when he latched onto Jansen's pass and slalomed his way into the Saints area, before his shot was tipped around the post by Niemi.

Yorke then misdirected a header off target before Saints responded with Delap's crashing drive bringing a brilliant save from Friedel at full stretch.

Blackburn threw everything at Southampton in the closing moments, but Cole and Gray missed the target and they had to settle for a point.

Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Babbel, Short, Gray, Emerton, Andresen, Tugay, Douglas (Jansen 45), Cole, Gallagher (Yorke 45).
Subs Not Used: Gresko, Todd, Enckelman.

Booked: Babbel.

Southampton: Niemi, Dodd, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Le Saux, Telfer, Prutton, Delap, Fernandes (McCann 62), Beattie, Phillips (Pahars 88).
Subs Not Used: Higginbotham, Ormerod, Smith.

Booked: Dodd.

Attendance: 21,970