Leslie Ugochukwu's stoppage-time goal ensured Southampton equalled Derby's record low points tally in the Premier League with a 1-1 draw at West Ham.
Relegated Saints were still in with a chance of becoming the worst team in Premier League history after Jarrod Bowen put the hosts ahead.
However, they were not the worst team at the London Stadium during long periods of poor play.
And they snatched a deserved point in stoppage time when Chelsea loanee Ugochukwu darted through a crowded penalty area.
Saints fans behind the goal celebrated the moment as if they had won the league, probably drowning out the loud groans from Derby when they learned their record low of 11 points from the 2007-08 season had been equalled.
Meanwhile, to say West Ham have failed to deliver under new manager Graham Potter this season would be a serious understatement.
Since Potter's arrival, the Hammers have averaged just one point per game, worse than under their much-criticised predecessor Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham almost took the lead inside three minutes through Niklas Fullkrug, who returned to the starting line-up for his first game since January following another injury lay-off.
The Germany striker managed to catch up with Lucas Paqueta's cross into the penalty area, beating Jan Bednarek, but his shot was saved by Aaron Ramsdale at the near post.
Despite the fact that they were still mathematically not safe from relegation (although the chances of that happening were extremely small), the hosts played the first half with astonishing indecision.
Southampton, who have won just twice all season, looked the more dangerous team, with Kamaldeen Suleiman setting up Kyle Walker-Peters, who fired narrowly wide.
The country's top scorers went even closer after half an hour when Jack Stevens' shot was blocked by Paqueta and Souleymana's effort hit the crossbar.
There were boos as the teams went into the break and there were still thousands of empty seats in the stands when Bowen broke the tedium a minute into the second half.
The goal came from a Southampton corner, with Emerson Palmieri and then Mohamed Kudus pushing forward before finding Fullkrug, whose incisive pass found Bowen for his 10th goal of the season.
It was the 78th goal conceded by the Saints in a turbulent campaign.
The scoreline almost went to 79 when Fullkrug headed James Ward-Prowse's corner to the far post, but the striker's forearm caught Ramsdale in the throat and the goal was rightly disallowed.
Saints' chances of a point seemed to have disappeared along with the ball after substitute Tyler Dibling fired over the bar.
But in the fourth minute of added time, Dibling found Walker-Peters, whose pass bounced off Max Kilman and was directed to Ugochukwu.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
