THE television companies might be criticised for showing too many repeats during the Christmas period, but you would struggle to find any Middlesbrough fan complaining about a double dose of "The Great Escape".

After scoring twice in the last two minutes to earn a point against Leicester in January, Boro duly repeatedly the trick at Southampton to claw back a two-goal deficit and ruin Harry Redknapp's latest welcome party on the south coast.

And, just as Steve McQueen made movie magic by leading a group of allied escapees from the Stalag Luft prisoner of war camp, so Boro's own young hero entered footballing folklore by spearheading a similarly dramatic escape act.

Stewart Downing might not have needed a motorbike to salvage a draw at St Mary's, but the injury-time strike that sealed an unexpected comeback was still one of the most memorable drives imaginable.

It followed the left winger's 89th-minute corner - a whipped delivery that found the back of the net via Southampton full-back Danny Higginbotham - and capped a fantastic finale that could not have failed to impress watching England boss Sven Goran Eriksson.

Or at least it would have done had he hung around long enough to see it.

With ten minutes to go, the Swede wished Steve McClaren well as he headed home to beat the traffic.

The Boro boss has promised to send him a video of Downing's injury-time leveller and, with Eriksson pondering his squad selection ahead of February's friendly with Holland, the 20-yard finish should be required viewing.

"I didn't know he (Sven) was even at the game to be honest," said Downing, who has now taken his tally for the season to five. "But, hopefully, I impressed him in some way.

"All of the speculation surrounding England is nice, but I don't let it affect me at all. I've spoken to the gaffer about it once or twice and we're both of the same opinion.

"He's told me there's nothing more that I can do and I accept that.

"I know I've just got to keep on playing well and then I'll see what happens when the next squad is named in February."

Ironically, Eriksson will have left St Mary's wondering how on earth McClaren's side had forced their way into the top five.

But, while the first 88 minutes contained some of Boro's most disjointed football of the season, the dramatic denouement highlighted the never say die attitude that has served the side so well this term.

While most other teams would have given up the ghost, Boro drew on a different kind of spirit to panic a Southampton side who have forgotten how to win.

"We've got a lot of winners in this team," said Downing. "You could see the expression on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's face when we were 2-0 down.

"We've got players who have played in winning teams and they were really important in the final quarter of the game.

"They were saying 'Don't let your heads go down - we're still in this game' - and they were proved right."

It didn't look like finishing that way when Kevin Phillips ended a forgettable first half by firing the home side ahead on the stroke of half-time.

Boro had huffed and puffed before the interval but, while Michael Reiziger saw an early shot saved by Antti Niemi and Hasselbaink ended a slick passing move by also shooting straight at the Saints' keeper, the visitors rarely looked convincing.

Mark Viduka produced one of his more disinterested displays, while both Ray Parlour and Bolo Zenden struggled to exert any real influence on the midfield battle.

Parlour has proved a valuable addition but, with the effect of 19 starts this season beginning to take its toll, the former Arsenal midfielder failed to provide an attacking threat on the right flank and offered limited cover to teenage full-back Tony McMahon.

Consequently, Southampton veteran Graeme Le Saux ran the 18-year-old ragged and, after surging past Parlour at the end of the first half, he crossed for Phillips to power home a header from close range.

McClaren shuffled his pack on the hour mark, replacing McMahon with Szilard Nemeth, and the Slovakian's first touch sent Downing through on goal, only for Niemi to tip his goalbound effort round the post.

That looked like being the game's defining moment when Southampton duly went down the other end of the field to double their advantage.

Mark Schwarzer saved Phillips' low drive but, from the resultant corner, the Aussie allowed Peter Crouch's header to squeeze through his legs.

Crouch, who had previously looked anything but a Premiership player, then enjoyed a ten-minute purple patch with his six foot seven inch frame setting up decent chances for both Phillips and Anders Svensson.

But, with full-time approaching, Southampton's anxiety grew and, after Hasselbaink had rattled a post from the edge of the box, Downing pounced.

His corner was glanced in by Higginbotham at the near post, and his left-foot leveller was crashed home after Reiziger had cut in from the right flank.

Redknapp was still in the dressing room when the St Mary's PA had blasted out the theme to "Mission Impossible" but, after watching his side collapse in spectacular fashion, he will probably think the film sums up his prospects for the next six months.

McClaren, on the other hand, will look at one of Tom Cruise's earlier movies for inspiration. Downing is indisputably his "Top Gun" and, like the very best pictures, he too gets better with every viewing.

Result: Southampton 2 Middlesbrough 2.

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