COVENTRY CITY'S cupboard is no longer quite so bare. Just when Ron Atkinson's struggling team seemed fated to be beaten by a shot of typical audacity from Matthew Le Tissier, Southampton were denied victory in stoppage time yesterday by Dion Dublin's first goal in 17 matches.

If Le Tissier's was a goal of rare quality Dublin's equaliser brought considerable relief to Highfield Road, where goals of any quality have been extremely rare.

The match was more entertaining than these basement affairs tend to be. Southampton's football might have had the better shape and clearer sense of purpose, but once Atkinson had restored the speed of Ndlovu to Coventry's left wing early in the second half, and brought Dublin off the bench just past the hour, their lead lived on borrowed time.

But Southampton looked like they had a better idea of what they were about. With Slater and Charlton keeping their movements wide, and Watson and Shipperley hustling and bustling up front, Le Tissier had a sound platform for his patient, probing runs and passes.

In the 17th minute he produced one of the stunning moments which have peppered his career. After the advancing Ogrizovic had missed a long ball from Watson, Borrows's hasty clearance was seized upon by Shipperley, who laid it back beyond the penalty area.

Highfield Road caught its breath, half expecting what was to follow. From 30 yards' range Le Tissier swung a right footed shot past the motionless Ogrizovic into the left hand corner of the net. He scored a similar goal, from further out, against Blackburn two seasons ago.

At half time Coventry were facing a depressing defeat. Yet with their wings fully operational they persevered.

Then in the second minute of stoppage time the Southampton goalkeeper failed to hold on to a 30 yard shot from Telfer and Dublin scored from the rebound.

If Coventry's sky was not exactly blue at least they had found a break in the clouds.