Advantage Southampton after first leg stalemate
BBC Sport's Dan George gives his thoughts on Southampton as they draw away at Middlesbrough in the first leg of their play-off semi-final.
Southampton welcome Middlesbrough to St Mary's on Tuesday [Getty Images] Southampton leaving the Riverside with a draw will feel like a win for Tonda Eckert's side despite the scoreless draw. After a first half when they had their backs against the wall, Saints grew into the game and even threatened to score themselves when Taylor Harwood-Bellis crashed a header against the crossbar and Sam Edozie ran through on goal. It would have been quite the smash and grab if they had managed to find the net.
In the first 45 minutes they looked like a shadow of the team that ended the regular season, unable to keep the ball and absorbing wave after wave of attack. But they improved in the second half, changes bringing energy and fresh legs as the Boro players tired and gaps started to appear in midfield. The noise of the past 24 hours amped up the atmosphere a notch or two, but the hosts were unable to capitalise on their dominance, something they might later regret.
St Mary's awaits for Tuesday's second leg when Southampton fans will bring their own hostile environment for Kim Hellberg's team, as they did against West Brom two years ago. In the meantime, we await the EFL's verdict after charging Southampton on Friday night with spying on Middlesbrough , there could still be more twists and turns in that story before we get to the return leg.