Report: St Mary's delivers another famous night as Saints prevail

Following West Brom in 2024 and Arsenal in April, or further back to 2016/17 for Inter in the Europa League and Liverpool in the EFL Cup semi-final, this was up there with all of the above for high stakes and high drama under the lights.

Saints started slowly, just as they did in the North East three days prior, but this time paid the price as Middlesbrough, who could not convert any of their 21 shots that day, scored with their first at St Mary’s, as Riley McGree swept home a fifth-minute opener.

The hosts took a while to settle but warmed to their task, and by the time Ross Stewart leapt to head home from close range in first-half stoppage time, the goal was coming.

A feisty first period made way for a cagey second. Ryan Manning’s low shot deflected agonisingly wide in normal time while substitute Samuel Edozie was denied in extra time, but Shea Charles was the hero yet again, adding another to his own season highlight reel with a dramatic winner as penalties loomed.

Tonda Eckert made three changes to his starting line-up following the first-leg stalemate at the Riverside Stadium, the same scoreline that laid the foundations for Saints to triumph at this stage of the Championship play-offs two seasons ago.

Kuryu Matsuki, Charles and Stewart, who all played their part in a vastly-improved second-half performance on Teesside, came into the team at the expense of Flynn Downes, Tom Fellows and Cyle Larin, who dropped to the bench alongside returning skipper Jack Stephens.

Boro were unchanged following their dominant start to the first leg, and the same XI caused problems from the off again at St Mary’s.

This time they went one better when McGree’s low finish gave the visitors a dream start five minutes in. When Luke Ayling found Callum Brittain on the right, his low cross was swept in by the Australian midfielder from 16 yards, leaving Daniel Peretz rooted to the spot and St Mary’s in a state of shock.

Thousands of fans gathered outside St Mary's to welcome the team coach before kick-off

Boro smelt blood, as Morgan Whittaker saw a shot blocked by former Swansea teammate Manning, before he ran at Manning, jinked inside and fired into the side-netting.

Saints’ first chance arrived in the 12th minute. This time Manning was involved at the other end, finding space down the left to cross for Stewart, who could not control the finish on the stretch and only succeeded in turning the ball back across goal and wide.

Saints were showing signs of finding their rhythm. Matsuki robbed Morris of possession in the Middlesbrough box but the ball would not quite fall for a shooting chance, before Manning’s low cross with the outside of his boot just got away from the Japanese.

The hosts were yet to test Sol Brynn in the Boro goal, but Peretz was sent sprawling to his right by a crisp low drive from Brittain that tested his handling with attackers closing in expectantly.

The Saints stopper was alert again when another Brittain shot, this time veering wide, was flicked goalwards, forcing Peretz to readjust and make a fine reflex save, though the offside flag was raised regardless.

Eckert was animated on the touchline when James Bree burst into the box and pulled the ball across goal for Stewart, whose shirt was clearly pulled by Brittain, but contact was deemed insufficient for a penalty.

Emotions were running high and tempers flared further when Nathan Wood and Ayling were both booked in quick succession, before referee Andrew Madley had a word with both head coaches, which only resulted in a disagreement between the pair.

When the action finally resumed, Manning’s dangerous free-kick was diverted uncomfortably over his own crossbar by Ayling’s thigh, before Brynn gratefully fell on top of Azaz’s shot through a crowded penalty area.

Ross Stewart climbs to head Saints' equaliser on the stroke of half time

By now St Mary’s was at its most hostile, with six added minutes signalled at the end of a stop-start first half, and a deafening roar greeted Stewart’s timely leveller.

When Leo Scienza was blocked off on the byline, Bree’s far-post free-kick was met by a Manning volley down into the ground that was pushed up into the air by Brynn. Time stood still as bodies converged, but the towering Scot attacked it with all the relish you would expect of a goal-hungry striker, rising highest to nod home.

Saints had the momentum at the start of the second period, though there was a minor scare when the ball was flicked up on to Matsuki’s raised hand in the penalty area.

Scienza sent in a couple of threatening corners, one of which reached Manning, whose low drive flicked off the inside of Ayling’s heel and grazed Brynn’s left-hand post on its way wide.

Then Stewart bullied Boro captain Dael Fry from a long ball forward, winning the ball against the odds and feeding Scienza, but the Brazilian showed too much to the covering Ayling, who read his intentions.

Fry found himself free from a set-piece at the other end, twice shut down by blocks from the ever-willing Matsuki, who made way for Downes soon after.

Rather than opening up, this tie was getting increasingly tense with every passing minute. Chances from open play were few and far between, with corners and free-kicks providing the most likely route to goal.

Eckert turned to his bench for the second time with six minutes left, replacing Stewart and Scienza with Larin and Edozie, who was inches away from scoring a late winner at the Riverside.

But on to extra time it would go, as the potential price of defeat weighed heavily on both teams.

Corners continued to cause problems for Boro, as Manning teed up an Edozie shot that Brynn could only parry, but Harwood-Bellis swung at thin air on the follow up.

Saints were pushing. Edozie’s low cross found Larin, but the stricken Ayling somehow got a foot in, before Charles collected a pass from Harwood-Bellis and sent in a left-footed cross – or so it appeared – that flew all the way in, adding another to his catalogue of memorable goals following late winners against Leicester and Arsenal and a strike to savour against Oxford.

Boro found something from somewhere to force Saints back in five excruciating minutes of stoppage time on top of extra time, but Eckert’s men prevailed.

Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Harwood-Bellis (c), Wood, Manning, Charles, Jander (Bragg 119), Matsuki (Downes 66), Azaz, Scienza (Edozie 84, Welington 119), Stewart (Larin 84).

Subs not used: Long, Stephens, Fellows, Archer.

Goals: Stewart (45+1’), Charles (116’).

Booked: Wood, Azaz, Peretz, Larin.

Middlesbrough: Brynn, Brittain, Ayling, Fry (c), Malanda, Targett, Morris, McGree (Sarmiento 106), Whittaker, Strelec (Castledine 83), Conway (Browne 73).

Subs not used: Wildsmith, Edmundson, Munroe, Silvera, Gilbert, Hansen.

Goals: McGree (5’).

Booked: McGree, Ayling, Malanda, Brittain.

Attendance: 30,277.

Referee: Andrew Madley.