Theo Walcott rues lack of fans following first Saints goal since 2006

Pedro Neto cancelled out Walcott's opener, which came 5,434 days after his last, as Southampton remained fifth.

"It was very nice. It's just a shame that there's no fans here but hopefully soon there can be," said Walcott.

"I was very pleased to get that goal. My first game was against Wolves, so it's just funny how things happen in life.

"It feels more like a win really – it's a very difficult place to come and get a result and not many teams will get a result here.

"We showed we can keep going until the end, work hard and everybody will be pleased with that."

Walcott should have made it 2-0 but dragged a shot wide after being put through, wasting the chance to kill the game before Neto's leveller.

"I need to be scoring – I know that," the 31-year-old told the club's official site. "I'm my best critic and I know that's not good enough for me not to score.

"Trust me, I'll be practising next week, and I won't let that happen again."

Neto scored with 15 minutes left after Raul Jimenez's strike hit the post and was also denied by Alex McCarthy late on as Wolves climbed to ninth.

But the substitute admitted he could not celebrate as he feared VAR would wipe out his goal.

He told Wolves' official site: "I didn't celebrate because last year with VAR, for me it was very bad. I didn't even celebrate because I didn't know what the decision would be.

"I was very happy with the goal, but not happy with the result.

"Whether I start on the bench or I start in the 11, I always want to do my best to help the team. It's not disappointing (to not start). We are all ready to start, but I came from the bench and did my best to help the team and I did.

"The three points would have been good for us, but, unfortunately, we didn't get them. We are sad about the result, but we have to focus on the next one."