PREM: Bournemouth 0-0 Southampton

Charlie Austin and Nathan Ake clash heads in one of several stoppages

Southampton were left to rue a series of missed chances as they held Bournemouth to a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

Mark Hughes will feel his side ought to have wrapped up all three points with Charlie Austin, Stuart Armstrong and Manolo Gabbiadini, in the closing stages, all guilty of misses.

The result checked Bournemouth's fine start to the campaign but, six years to the day since Eddie Howe made his return with the club in the third tier, it is a measure of how far they have come that they will feel disappointed at taking only a point off their south-coast rivals.

Southampton went into the game having scored just six Premier League goals this season but it was the hosts who produced a very scratchy performance, taking until the 73rd minute to produce their first attempt on target as Alex McCarthy saved comfortably from Nathan Ake's header.

Howe's men had a good chance inside two minutes as Adam Smith burst forward from left-back to take a return pass from Callum Wilson, but he fluffed his shot from six yards out.

Saints settled thereafter and had the best of the opening period with Austin wasting a great opportunity. The striker, on his return to Hughes' starting line-up, was put through on goal by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg but, after shaking off Ake, he ran the ball out of play as he attempted to round Asmir Begovic.

Hughes dispensed with the three-man back line with Jan Bednarek coming out of the side which lost 3-0 at home to Chelsea last time around. Maya Yoshida was replaced by Jack Stephens while Charlie Austin replaced Manolo Gabbiadini. Mohamed Elyounoussi came into a 4-4-2 formation.

On the hour mark, Joshua King had a good opening after substitute Junior Stanislas found Wilson with a cute reverse pass, but the Norway international fluffed his effort at the near post to sum up Bournemouth's attacking threat on the day.

Hughes sensed victory was there for the taking, replacing Austin and Danny Ings with Shane Long and Gabbiadini for the final 10 minutes. It was Long's knock-down from Cedric Soares' cross that should have been converted by Armstrong, but the winger produced a complete air-shot with Begovic bearing down on him.

Bournemouth were then very nearly made to pay for their lethargy in the third minute of stoppage time as Gabbiadini headed over from Nathan Redmond's cross with the goal at his mercy.