Shea Charles was Southampton’s hero as they reached the Championship playoff final with a come-from-behind 2-1 win at home to Middlesbrough on Tuesday.
The teams were all square deep into the second half of extra-time when Charles’ 116th-minute curling cross from the right crept through a crowd of defenders and deflected in off the inside of the post.
Southampton, relegated from the Premier League last season, will now face Hull – 2-0 winners over Millwall on Monday – for what appears to be the chance to join Coventry and Ipswich in English football’s lucrative top-flight next season.
Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now >
The tie, however, has been overshadowed by allegations Southampton, now on a 20-game unbeaten run in the Championship, spied on a Middlesbrough training session ahead of Saturday’s goalless first leg at the Riverside Stadium.
The English Football League charged Southampton after receiving a complaint from Middlesbrough “relating to alleged unauthorised filming on private property” and it remains to be seen what action, if any, officials will take against the club.
But should Tuesday’s result stand, Southampton will be through to their second Wembley appearance of the campaign, following an FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester City last month.
Two months ago, Middlesbrough looked destined to earn promotion back into the Premier League, but they slipped down the ladder towards the back-end of the season.
“I’m unbelievably proud of the effort,” Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg told Sky Sports.
“It was tough. I think we played a very good first half. We were good, fluid and had some chances to go for two and then they scored just before half time from a free-kick.
“Everyone is fighting though it. We played an unbelievable good team, massive squad. To go here and to dominate the first half in that way with that crowd, that was impressive.
“We had some pressure but didn’t create many chances. That football sometimes, it’s a sport of fine margins.
“For a long time we were good and should have been ahead, if you bring together the first half.”
Boro, who finished fifth in the regular season to Southampton’s fourth, appeared to put the ongoing row behind them by taking just five minutes to open the scoring. Australian Riley McGree put Boro ahead at St Mary’s to the delight of travelling fans who had made the long journey from the northeast to the south coast.
Callum Brittain’s excellent centre found McGree, who shot low and well beyond Saints goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.
Tempers frayed on both sides, with Boro defender Luke Ayling reportedly accusing Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis of using “discriminatory language”.
And Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg and Southampton counterpart Tonda Eckert had to be physically separated as referee Andy Madley spoke to them on the touchline towards the end of the first half.
Southampton then equalised in stoppage-time when Ryan Manning’s shot was parried into the air by Boro keeper Sol Brynn and Ross Stewart nodded in the rebound.
In the second half, the hobbling Leo Scienza somehow drove into the box and went down under pressure from Ayling, but Southampton’s appeals for a penalty were rejected by Madley.
Brynn kept Boro in the match in added-on time when he blocked a shot from Saints substitute Cyle Larin before Charles had the last word.