Southampton advanced to the playoff final against Hull City, though it seems unlikely it will be quite that straightforward from here owing to the alleged foul play that dominated the buildup to a fraught second leg that went the distance, more than 130 minutes in total. If found guilty of cheating, Middlesbrough will demand Southampton are adequately punished. Is there even a world where Kim Hellberg’s side train for the next couple of weeks in the event of the unprecedented?
Just what is it about Shea Charles and big moments, his latest coming in the 116th minute to send Tonda Eckert’s side to Wembley? It was the midfielder who scored the winning goal to send Arsenal packing in the FA Cup quarter-finals, his 96th-minute winner that clinched the 4-3 comeback victory against Leicester in February and now this. Charles was out on the right flank, the game edging towards a penalty shootout, when he sent the ball in with his left foot – it was surely a cross – and the ball sailed past the Boro defender Dael Fry and in at the back post.
The game itself was a mountain of flashpoints, not to mention the pre-match controversy. Towards the end of the first half the referee, Andy Madley, had a word with both 30-something head coaches after Taylor Harwood-Bellis allegedly made discriminatory comments to Luke Ayling, goading the Boro defender about his stammer. And then deep in the second half, a Southampton ballboy enjoyed a contretemps with Aidan Morris after refusing to hand Matt Targett the ball.
