JAMES Ward-Prowse converted an added-time penalty to see Saints come from two goals down in a 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, at St Mary's.

Ruben Selles might face a spell without both starting defenders Jan Bednarek and Armel Bella-Kotchap after injuries but will take a vital point in the relegation scrap.

Pedro Porro and Che Adams scored either side of the half-time break to set up a tantalising south coast tie with manager Ruben Selles boasting seven points from his first five matches.  

England captain Harry Kane and Croatian stalwart Ivan Perisic looked to put Spurs out of sight with a double salvo before the first Theo Walcott league goal since his permanent return breathed new life.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles was then fouled just inside the penalty box as Saints entered five minutes of added time and the skipper stepped up to finish past old friend Fraser Forster.

Selles opted for three changes to the side that lost to Brentford on Wednesday, bringing Romeo Lavia, Stuart Armstrong and Theo Walcott in from the start.

However, the Spaniard’s plan was well and truly ripped up in a bizarre first-half that saw as many as four forced changes between the two managers.

Richarlison lasted just five minutes before Bella-Kotchap was replaced by Mohammed Salisu while clutching his shoulder – after avoiding surgery in the winter – and could be set for a lengthy spell out.

Saints had mounted a few attacks and Walcott was finding spaces in behind a less than impenetrable Spurs team, but St Mary’s returnee Fraser Forster was rarely threatened.

Disaster then struck for Selles, who had just one central defender on his bench, as Bednarek was forced off after a hefty collision in the area and visible discomfort with his ribs.  

That meant Ainsley Maitland-Niles was thrusted into the heart of the defence having only played there briefly for Saints earlier this season, and that was in a five-back.

Selles would have been happy to get to the break unscathed, but they would not. A combination of Romain Perraud and Moi Elyounoussi switching off at the back-post saw an unmarked Porro thunder past Gavin Bazunu in seven minutes of added time.

However, before many supporters had even retaken their seats, Adams was celebrating a first Premier League goal since Nathan Jones’s first match.

Lavia played Walcott down the right with precision and the veteran’s fizzing square ball was turned into the far-post by the arriving Adams for his fifth of the league campaign.

Kane was allowed to run on goal by substitute Salisu but luckily for the Saints contingent the visitors’ all-time top goalscorer powered well over.

However, he was there again at the back-post as a ball came from right to left to climb above the patch-up defence and head in to restore the Spurs lead.

Selles made a triple change with 20 minutes to play but before any of the trio could find a way into the game, it seemed like it could have been ended as a contest.

Croatian international Perisic struck hard into the ground on a half volley from the edge of the area to beat Bazunu and seal all three points.

Or did he? Walcott was there in the box to tap in from Sekou Mara’s knockdown, after Maitland-Niles had forced a diving Forster into a top save from long-range, and reduce the arrears.

The French provider nearly turned finisher moments later to level the scores but was denied by Forster as St Mary’s believed again.

That belief was repaid when Maitland-Niles was fouled while jumping for a ball heading out of the Spurs area, and Ward-Prowse fired top right beyond Forster to equalise in added time.

Saints: Bazunu’ Walker-Peters, Bella-Kotchap (Salisu, 7) Bednarek (Maitland-Niles, 33), Perraud; Lavia, Ward-Prowse, Elyounoussi (Alcaraz, 69), S Armstrong (Kamaldeen, 69); Walcott, Adams (Mara, 69).

Unused subs: Diallo, A Armstrong, Onuachu, McCarthy (g/k).

Booked: Kamaldeen.

Spurs: Forster; Porro (Royal, 85), Dier, Lenglet, Romero, Davies (Perisic, 37); Hojbjerg, Skipp; Richarlison (Kulusevski, 5 (Sarr, 85)), Son, Kane.

Unused subs: Sanchez, Danjuma, Tanganga, Moura, Austin (g/k).

Booked: Skipp.

Referee: Simon Hooper.

VAR: Tony Harrington.

Attendance: 30,843.