Ben Fisher’s match report is in. The semi-final is over, but the story might be just beginning …

Good night.

Jubilant scenes among Southampton fans in the stands. Kim Hellberg, the Middlesbrough manager, looks devastated. Which is quite understandable. It was a bizarre goal to win it, but no one could deny that Southampton were the better team across the 120 minutes. They looked fitter and more composed.

Will there be a further twist at the imminent misconduct hearing for Southampton? We shall see.

“I Just Can’t Get Enough,” by Depeche Mode blasts over the PA at St Mary’s. Who’d have thunk it? We nearly had penalties but Charles’s very strange goal won it.

The matchwinner and player of the match, Shea Charles, has a chat: “I thought I put it into an area [the winner] … it’s gone all the way through and gone in. Incredible moment. It was a cross-shot.

“None of us are used to playing extra-time really. Really tough, against a really good team. Thankfully we came out on top.”

120 min+5: A set-piece for Saints is kicked, rugby style, for touch in the corner.

120 min+4: A couple of shots blocked by Saints! One from Sarmiento … and it’s a corner … Brynn, the goalie, is up for the corner.

120 min+3: Brittain tries a volley. He skews it well wide. The crowd go wild.

120 min: Five minutes added. Boro are suddenly playing with urgency! Browne has a fierce shot blocked. He had Brittain outside him …

119 min: Boro have barely threatened for, like, ages now. Can they muster something?

And what will Southampton’s punishment be at that imminent misconduct hearing …

117 min: Players were cramping all over the place. Charles swung a boot at the ball from out wide. Fry was unable to block the ball – he looked physically incapable of doing so – Brynn in goal didn’t read it, and it nestled in the net. Horrible for the visitors, deep joy for Southampton!

113 min: Azaz tries to cross from the Southampton left, but it’s a naff effort.

Edozie breaks again and crosses but Boro hold firm again … then, again, it’s Castledine on the counter, but it’s defences on top one more time. De ja vu all over again.

110 min: Castledine breaks down the right for Middlesbrough, and the Saints defence is really stretched, but he fluffs a one-two with Jeremy Sarmiento after cutting in. A waste.

(Sarmiento came on at the break.)

109 min: Edozie has had treatment and we’re back in action. Although you do sense both teams are quite happy to play their way to penalties.

105 min: Edozie is flying down the Saints left again. Boro deal with it. The winger is down and clutching his shoulder. It was a superb, clean tackle by Browne for Middlesbrough but Edozie fell awkwardly.

104 min: Plenty of TV shots of tense fans. Manning crosses well again, for Wood, who cannot get over it.

102 min: Edozie to the byline. He just manages to keep it in. Boro clear, but Castledine cannot get the ball under his spell and it’s back with Southampton again, who are utterly dominant now.

100 min: Edozie hammers a shot at the goalkeeper Brynn, after the second corner! He saves, but Harwood-Bellis must surely score from the rebound … he misses his kick, or rather cannot get in a position to kick. That is the closest either side have come for a good while.

98 min: Larin wins a corner for Southampton with a bright run down the right. Wood tries to head it, it’s deflected out for another corner.

97 min: Saints are unbeaten in 12 at home. The last team to beat them here? Hull City, who await in the playoff final on 23 May. Thank you, Sky Sports commentators, for the stat.

96 min: The pace has dropped. It’s almost an official ceasefire, at points. But here comes Castledine with a dart down the Boro left.

94 min: Targett whips in a cross for his Southampton teammate Castledine. Harwood-Bellis does well to clear, excellent defending.

93 min: Saints have had 70% possession since the 68th minute.

92 min: Edozie roars down the left wing. Brittain manhandles him, and is booked. Brynn claims the set-piece.

90 min +7: One last chance for Southampton? They have a throw on the right.

90 min +6: Boro think about a counterattack, but they look quite happy for Jander to stab the ball out for a throw and save them the bother.

90 min +5: Brittain clatters Charles. A late set-piece for Saints …

90 min +3: Ayling and Harwood-Bellis are having words again. This time, it ends more amicably. We are going to have extra-time, it seems, and judging by the dwindling energy levels of both teams, it’ll be a stalemate until penalties.

90 min +1: Fry challenges Larin in the area as he attempts to clear! The fans want a penalty! File that one under “seen them given”.

90 min: Five minutes added, minimum. Ayling loses it, and Larin fires a powerful shot at Brynn, who is equal to it.

88 min: Extra-time looms nearer. Southampton are huffing and puffing but not posing any serious threat right now. Samuel Edozie is also on for Saints. Scienza and Stewart both off.

85 min: Azaz is fouled and Southampton have a free-kick in a dangerous spot, on their right wing. Malanda clears it for a corner.

It’s hard to remember the last time Middlesbrough really threatened the Saints goal.

84 min: Both teams are tiring. Feels like it’s going a bit flat, like they’ve both settled for extra-time … Now here is Cyle Larin, on for Southampton, who has scored six goals in his last nine games.

83 min: Change for the visitors: Leo Castledine is on for Strelec.

81 min: Now there is more argy-bargy, when Morris goes to get a ball for a throw-in, but the ballboy won’t give it to him. A few of the substitutes get “in and around” it.

80 min: “Just a quick note,” emails Karl.

“Definitely not a contribution either way in the “everyone should or should not pronounce every foreign-to-them word correctly” debate, to be clear – the commentator pronouncing it “Matski” is probably an attempt at the correct Japanese pronunciation, where some syllables that are written out in the romanised spelling are often swallowed or elided. Thus the family name Matsuki should sound closer to “Matski”, and not “Mat-soo-kee”, as most English speakers would probably default to.”

Thank you.

78 min: Malanda coughs up a foul on Azaz near halfway and is booked. Southampton continue to look the more threatening now, after Boro’s storming start. Will we have a winner in normal time?

76 min: Scienza battles on. He wins a corner. The set-piece is headed over by Harwood-Bellis with the goalie nowhere near it.

75 min: “If this games goes to penalties,” writes John Brennan, “I’d advise either team not to have Finn Azaz or Alan Browne take penalties after their diabolical efforts for Ireland in Prague!”

73 min: We can be sure that the EFL are praying for Boro to win this, given the fact that Southampton imminently face a misconduct hearing that could even see them thrown out of the playoffs. It could be a real mess.

73 min: Middlesbrough change: Alan Browne is on for Conway.

71 min: Space to attack for Southampton. Azaz hits a shot from the edge that is blocked. Conway has gone down injured for the visitors, he looks hurt, and the players all go to their coaches during the break in play.

68 min: After a Saints move breaks down, McGree sends a lovely raking pass over for Whittaker on the Boro right. He cuts inside and is lucky to get a corner after a poor off-target effort. That was a waste because the Southampton defence, initially, was badly out of shape.

66 min: Saints change: Flynn Downes on for Matsuki.

I’m glad, in a way, because the commentator seems to think he’s called “Matski”.

65 min: Next up, Fry is at the far post from a Boro free-kick. He’s in plenty of space but his header, then cross-shot, are blocked.

63 min: Saints counterattack! And Scienza is brought down by Ayling in the area … Southampton want a penalty, of course, but the referee isn’t having it! There was a definite push, but not enough for Madley to point to the spot. Cue fan fury, not to mention manager fury.

62 min: Does feel like Saints have had the best of it, refereeing-wise, but this remains finely balanced. Will we have a winner in 90 minutes?

60 min: “Ok so I am a bit partial,” emails Stefan. “And there’s nothing more boring than whining about the referee. But I count the following which I’m going to call borderline at best having gone Southampton’s way.

1. The penalty not given before Middlesbrough’s opener.

2. The foul by Stewart on Morris before his goal.

3. The foul given against Conway when one on one.

4. The handball by Matsuri.

“Am I missing any?.”

59 min: Manning swivels and hits a shot for Southampton from close range, that is deflected off Ayling, just wide! Boro are really under it at the moment … they deal with one corner, then another … Shea Charles has a shot blocked from the edge.

57 min: Boro have a throw in an advanced position. Brittain lobs it in. Ayling tries to flick it on but straight out for a goal kick.

55 min: Southampton are in the ascendancy now. It feels like they are the more clinical of the teams, for all the positivity that Middlesbrough have displayed, and Eckert’s team perhaps won’t need more than one or two clear chances to win this. We shall see.

51 min: A free-kick for Boro leads to a big shout for a penalty. On replay, it looks like a handball by Matsuki. The referee signals that he thinks it was off the shoulder.

50 min: Speaking of fouls, the telly director is replaying what looks a clear foul by Stewart before he scored the equaliser for Southampton.

48 min: Southampton’s Harwood-Bellis scythes down Conway in midfield. He claims he got the ball, and he did, but he got a lot of the man too and that’s a foul.

47 min: Scienza is still on. He doesn’t look to be moving freely.

Sky Sports report that Ayling of Middlesbrough has claimed Southampton’s Harwood-Bellis made a discriminatory comment towards him after that foul on Scienza. Also, it is said that other players have confirmed what was said. The referee, Andy Madley, will be including the incident in his post-game report.

Ayling did look genuinely furious.

A smattering of half-time reading:

45 min +5: Middlesbrough’s Conway is penalised for a soft foul when he would have been one-on-one with the keeper. Then Peretz pathetically tries to get him sent off after there is a bit of contact when the goalie comes to grab the ball and take the free-kick.

45 min +2: Southampton have mostly been second-best but it seems like they will go in level at the break. We’ll have a minimum of six minutes added.

44 min: Scienza tries again down the Southampton right. It takes two defenders to stop him and eventually he fouls Whittaker. The crowd roar their disapproval.

42 min: The free-kick, after all that controversy, is whipped in and very dangerous but is cleared for a corner by Ayling. From the corner, Azaz hits a rasping shot from the edge, and Brynn dives on it.

39 min: The referee, Andy Madley, goes to have a chat with the managers … and something is obviously said, and the managers look ready to square up to each other! They virtually have to be separated!

38 min: Scienza, moving better after that injury, makes a jinking run in an advanced area, trying to turn away from Ayling. Ayling brings him down, and it’s a free-kick, and Ayling is incensed. It did look like a dive. He goes in the book, but the row with the referee seems to continue, and he appears to be in danger of a second yellow card. Ayling and Harwood-Bellis were also having words.

Ayling is furious about something, and presumably not just what he thought was a dive by Scienza.

37 min: Nathan Wood of Southampton is booked for dissent.

35 min: On balance of play, 2-0 would not flatter Middlesbrough. They have made most of the running and kept Southampton’s forward line very quiet for the most part.

35 min: “The goal coming from Ayling Brittain on the right wing,” emails Alex.

“And they say satire is dead.”

Excellent.

31 min: Brittain hammers another shot at the Saints goal after a corner. It’s deflected but Peretz makes a good save.

Southampton break, and Stewart goes down in the penalty area, wanting a penalty. The fans wail, but the refereee is unmoved. And now Boro break again …

There was a little shirt pull on Stewart by Brittain …

30 min: Manning swings in a vicious curling cross from the free-kick. Fry clears it with an excellent header at the near post. Scienza is back on, but not moving well.

28 min: Scienza has gone down with what looks a painful injury after an accidental clash with a Boro boot. The referee has a chat with Brynn, the Middlesbrough goalie, presumably about perceived timewasting.

25 min: Middlesbrough stitch together a lovely passing move, with Ayling among those showing composure and pinging the ball around in midfield. They engineer a chance for Conway, whose powerful shot is blocked, and the ball goes out for a corner. In the next phase of play Brittain belts a low shot at Peretz but the goalkeeper deals with it easily.

23 min: Manning turns a pass inside, in an advanced area for Southampton on their left, but Morris intercepts. The first 15 minutes was really open, and it’s tightened up a bit now. The co-commentator says “Middlesbrough are taking their time already …”

21 min: Now Scienza tries a cross from the Southampton left. But it’s claimed by Brynn in goal. (I saw Scienza tearing Charlton a new one at The Valley back in November, when Saints won 5-1. Good little player.)

20 min: The game settles down a touch and Southampton have a chance to try and build from the back. Matsuki tries a cross from the right wing but Boro’s defensive shape looks really good, and they deal with it easily.

18 min: Morris loses it on the edge of Middlesbrough’s penalty area, attempting to turn and play the ball out from a defensive area. He gets away with it – but that could have been a real howler.

15 min: McGree suddenly threatens with a good pacey run down the middle. He’s offside. But the visitors continue to create more than their hosts.

15 min: “Reasons To Love Marcelo Bielsa #4970,” emails Dave. “Doing something a bit naughty, shrugging his shoulders and saying “yeh, fair cop guv” (Or the Spanish equivalent).

“That word salad of a “statement” from Phil Parsons is an embarrassment frankly, just own up, own it and move on.

“P.S. I think the Saints fans who have turned up adorned in foliage of various descriptions are childish, immature and very funny.”

13 min: McGree, the goalscorer, is booked for a naughty late tackle.

12 min: Manning storms down the Saints left and belts an excellent, powerful cross across the six-yard box. Ross Stewart is there to meet it, and it looks like a simple volley, but such is the power on the cross that he misjudges the contact and gets too much on it, turning it back beyond the near post!

9 min: The Southampton fans are singing that one about the Saints going marching in. They’re trying to give them team a lift … but here come Boro again.

Morgan Whittaker has Manning on toast down the visitors’ right, and slams a shot into the side netting. Southampton’s defence is creaking every time Boro have the ball, it feels like.

7 min: Boro continue to make all the running. Southampton’s defence, already breached once, is seriously under the cosh. Aidan Morris is excelling for the visitors early doors.

4 min: Should that have been a penalty for a hack by Matsuki on Strelec. Looked like it, on replay.

2 min: Boro play around at the back a bit. Then Saints do the same. Ayling is fouled around halfway after a surging run. Then Strelec goes down in the penalty area during the Boro attack that follows.

Here we go then. Teams on the pitch, and everything. Pre-match pleasantries have begun.

Can Middlesbrough replicate the intensity they brought to the first leg?

“If Southampton had been caught spying on Bristol City,” emails Will Cook … “Would it be called Ashton Gategate?”

That’s a great question Will, I like it very much.

But no, it wouldn’t be called Ashton Gategate, unless the training session that was spied on was in the stadium.

Have a lovely evening.

It was notable that neither coach – as far as we saw – was asked about Spygate in their pre-match interviews on Sky Sports. Perhaps that was agreed by the club’s media people and the telly people?

Given the fact that any side who gets promoted will strengthen the squad considerably, are some of these players essentially playing to lose their jobs?

“Spygate is all fun and games until some team loses a spy, Luke,” emails Justin Kavanagh.

“If Southampton are found guilty can Fulham be reinstated to the FA Cup?” asks Richard Hirst. “Just asking for a friend.”

And Kim Hellberg, Southampton head coach, says: “Good opponent, tough opponent, good challenge.

“Our goal is to try to do the same thing [as the first leg when they created plenty of chances] … we need to try to repeat the energy we played with. We want to try to beat them. I am looking forward to seeing if we can do it.”

Tonda Eckert, the Southampton gaffer, has a chat:

“We need to take the positives from last game … we have great support … if we bring that together, we make the last step today.

“We have shown how tough it is for teams to come to St Mary’s … I’m very sure tonight will look very different to the first leg.”

Here’s a link to Southampton’s earlier statement about the small matter of Spygate. (Not that they call it that, of course.)

On my telly just now, some Boro fans were pictured wearing bits of trees on their heads, or draped across their shoulders.

It’s all good fun. OK, mostly good fun.

It’s THREE changes for Southampton. Kuryu Matsuki, Shea Charles and Ross Stewart come into the side.

After the first leg, Luke Ayling of Middlesbrough was asked about the spy scandal. He was at Leeds when similar occurred under Marcelo Bielsa. He said he was “pleading the fifth”. Then, he said the players know nothing about that sort of thing.

Ed Aarons was at the Den last night to see Hull City book their place in the Wembley final:

Don’t forget to email me, babez.

It’s a spicy atmosphere on the south coast. It appears the Boro bus was hit with a few objects (bottles?) on its way in.

I’m scouring the newswires like a man possessed for the lineups, but cannot see them as yet. I’ll be off to the socials, then, back soon.

“Hi Luke,” begins Peter Oh on email. So far, so uncontroversial.

“I’ve always liked the Southampton crest, especially the halo over the ball,” continues Peter. “However, it might be time to make a couple of updates for it to look a bit more modern. A spy hiding behind the tree, for starters.”

If you missed any of it, here are the stories we’ve published on Spygate™ since last week, including the first-leg match report from Louise Taylor: