But, with the stakes so high for both sides, the finishing of the teams left a lot to be desired.
Southampton's in-form strikeforce of Henri Camara and Peter Crouch failed to convert the chances that came their way while Albion's front pairing of Kevin Campbell and Robert Earnshaw ploughed an equally fruitless furrow in front of goal.
Camara, who had scored four goals in his first three appearances since his arrival from Celtic, and David Prutton were guilty of wasting the two best chances of the game for Southampton.
They both only had goalkeeper Russell Hoult to beat from close range in the second half but fired over the bar.
Albion forced Southampton into some frantic defending in the seventh minute when a Jonathan Greening free-kick was charged down before central defender Andreas Jakobsson blocked a shot from Campbell.
Despite that early scare, Southampton then went on to dominate the majority of the half with the pace of Camara and the height of Crouch causing problems.
Crouch almost gave Southampton the lead in the 13th minute when his header from Graeme Le Saux's cross was fumbled on to the post by Hoult before hacked to safety by Paul Robinson.
While Southampton goalkeeper Paul Smith then tipped a 17th minute free-kick from Kieran Richardson over the bar it was the Saints who looked the more potent force in attack.
Camara latched on to a long pass from Prutton to speed past Robinson before pulling his shot wide.
That scare sparked Albion into their best spell of the half with Richardson at the forefront of their best moves.
His 32nd minute shot was blocked by Claus Lundekvam before the on-loan Manchester United midfielder saw his 25-yard drive crash off the bar 60 seconds later.
But the better chances continued to fall to Southampton and only a smart save from Hoult prevented Camara from breaking the deadlock in the 40th minute.
The on-loan Wolves striker powerfully met a cross from Le Saux with a header from six yards only to see Hoult palm the ball over the bar
Southampton were unable to build on the impetus that Camara had handed them when the second half began and it was Albion who made the running.
Smith again had to beat away a free-kick from Richardson before Earnshaw dragged his 51st minute shot wide.
Southampton were able to weather the storm and should really have made the breakthrough themselves in the 66th minute but for an awful miss from Camara.
The Senegal international had done the hard part by ghosting past Thomas Gaardsoe and cutting inside Neil Clement only to lift his shot from 12 yards over the bar when he just had Hoult to beat.
Hoult then came to Albion's rescue four minutes later with another close range save, this time from Nigel Quashie, after Crouch had knocked the ball into his path.
Prutton then joined Camara in missing the kind of chance that could be the difference between survival and relegation.
He was six yards out after a cross from Olivier Bernard only to follow the lead of Camara and volley his shot miles over the bar.
In a final spurt to try and find a winner, Hoult then did well to turn away a deflected 87th minute free-kick from Jamie Redknapp.