Spurs fought back twice to claim a 2-2 draw at Southampton on Mauricio Pochettino’s first return to the south coast.

The home side took the lead twice with both coming from Graziano Pelle but Spurs battled back first from Erik Lamela and then Nacer Chadli.

The result leaves Spurs six points behind Manchester City in fourth having played game more.

A chorus of boos for the former Spurs boss rang around the home end anytime the former Saints boss emerged from the dugout in a low key first 25 minutes.

A drilled corner by James Ward-Prowse found Morgan Schneiderlin in the box and Hugo Lloris had to get down well to save the Frenchman’s volley.

Pochettino’s former employers hit the front just before the half hour mark after a catalogue of errors from the Spurs backline.

First, Federico Fazio and Jan Vertonghen failed to deal with Saido Mane’s pace and then a sloppy back-pass by Ryan Mason was failed to be cleared by Ben Davies and Pelle poked the ball beyond Lloris.

Spurs failed to impose themselves during the first half with Harry Kane starved of any service from Schneiderlin and Toby Alderweireld at the heart of the Saints midfield.

The home side then spurned a second chance as Steven Davis fired a first time shot well wide.

Despite barely being in the game, the lilywhites managed to haul themselves on level terms just before half time.

Kane created space for Eric Dier to swing a cross in for Lamela who used his hand unintentionally to direct the ball beyond Kelvin Davis.

Lamela seemed surprised by the ball falling to him but he managed to find a way past Davis for his first goal of 2015.

Southampton looked for an early goal and Steven Davis should have done much better with his shot from the edge of the box when he had time and space to roam through the Spurs defence.

It just was not going to go in for Davis as a crafted build up between Saido Mane and Pelle found Davis seven yards out but again he lacked composure and fired over, another let off for Pochettino’s side.

The home team then retook the lead with 25 minutes to go following a bullet header from Pelle after good play from Mane and substitute Shane Long to cross for the Italian to head home his second of the game.

Spurs were fired back into life and soon found a way back into the game five minutes later.

A neat through ball from Eric Dier found Chadli who shrugged off Maya Yoshida and slotted calmly past Kelvin Davis to set up a frenetic last 20 minutes.

Both teams huffed and puffed as seven minutes of injury time was played out following a nasty fall by Ben Davies.

Jose Fonte headed just over from a corner in the final moments but the game finished 2-2.

Southampton: Davis, Clyne, Bertrand, Fonte, Yoshida, Alderweireld, Schneiderlin (Reed 87’), Davis, Mane, Ward-Prowse (Long 61’), Pelle

Subs; Gazzaniga, Gardos, Tadic, Elia, Targett

Spurs: Lloris, Dier, Vertonghen, Fazio, Davies (Chiriches 70’), Chadli (Dembele 82’), Eriksen, Lamela, Mason, Bentaleb (Soldado 83’), Kane

Subs: Vorm, Yedlin, Townsend, Stambouli