Brighton 1, Southampton 1: Murray landmark helps Albion to another precious point
The striker notched his 50th home goal for the Seagulls to level up Saints skipper Steven Davis early opener at the Amex.
It was far from a Premier League classic, but lifted Albion to 11th in the table having lost just twice in their last eight league games.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdGoal-shy Saints, who went into the clash as the joint-lowest scorers in the top half of the table, having failed to score in nine of their last 15 league games, remain in tenth position.
Chris Hughton named an unchanged side from the one that won at West Ham last Friday, although there was a return for Tomer Hemed to the bench after serving his three-game ban.
Saints had the lead after just six minutes as a James Ward-Prowse free kick from 25 yards crashed off the post and Davis nodded home the rebound from close range.
And that was the only real action of a cagey opening 20 minutes apart from Davy Propper putting a header straight at Fraser Forster from an Anthony Knockaert free kick.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWrong decisions on the ball plagued Albion's game as they often gave the ball away as they looked to build attacking passages of play.
It was Saints that came closest to adding to their early lead as Dusan Tadic's low strike from just inside the area was deflected just wide of the post.
Albion, however, finished the second half strongly and Knockaert went close to leveling the scores from a Jose Izquierdo cross and Shane Duffy headed a teasing cross narrowly over the bar.
Saints again had a spell of pressure at the start of the first half, but Albion were level within seven minutes of the restart. Assist king Pascal Gross stood a ball up to the far post where Murray roses highest to meet the ball and squeeze his header into the top corner past a diving Forster.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThat was the lift the hosts needed and with them in the ascendancy, Murray volleyed just over and a busy Forster was forced to collect a number of crosses.
In a rare Southampton foray forwards, Dunk did well to deflect a Gabbiadini's strike away for a corner on 69 minutes. Back at the other end soon after, Izquierdo cut in and fired a fierce goalbound shot into the midriff of van Dijk.
Hughton turned to his bench late on and brought on the attacking Solly March and Izzy Brown, but Albion failed to find an elusive winning goal.
Albion: Ryan; Bruno, Dunk, Duffy, Bong; Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, Izquierdo (March 87); Gross (Brown 84); Murray. Unused subs: Krul, Hemed, Goldson, Schelotto, Suttner.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdSouthampton: Forster; Cédric, Van Dijk, Hoedt, Bertrand; Davis, Romeu; Ward-Prowse (Hojberg 84), Tadić (Long 84), Boufal (Redmond 71); Gabbiadini. Unused subs: McCarthy, Yoshida, Stephens, McQueen.
Attendance: 30,564.