Share<\/a><\/p>\n 51 min: Larin should score! Southampton<\/a> looked to have sprung a trap here. Fellows produces a stepover out wide and a cross to the back post, where Larin is unchallenged and heads into the side-netting.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 49 min: Manning flashes a low cross across the six-yard box and Ayling toes it back towards his goalkeeper. Southampton<\/a> have looked more of a threat already than the whole of the first 45 minutes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 47 min: Manning takes his time over a throw in the Boro half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Restart<\/p>\n Southampton get us back under way and they immediately head where they had not gone before \u2013 deep into the Middlesbrough<\/a> half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI cannot believe we are not ahead,\u201d writes Middlesbrough<\/a> fan Vic Rushton. \u201cConway should have had a hat trick. Though Southampton can\u2019t be this bad in the second half. The nerves and frustration will start to get unbearable the longer this goes on. We\u2019ve seen this before.\u201d<\/p>\n I really think this Southampton<\/a> performance \u2013 of course meticulously prepared \u2013 is by design. Sit back and hold on for a draw. Although I agree that they\u2019ve got to do better heading the other way. They\u2019ve not had a shot and not even come close.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time reading: The League One playoffs get under way later today, starting with Stevenage v Stockport County at 3pm. Dominic Booth has been to check on Stockport during their preparations this week \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Half-time: Middlesbrough 0-0 Southampton<\/p>\n As one-sided a half of football as you will ever see. Middlesbrough<\/a> have had all of the ball and all of the attempts at goal (17 to 0) but Southampton have held firm. Both managers will be fairly pleased with it, ironically.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.19 EDT<\/p>\n 45+2 min: Wood concedes another corner and Ayling\u2019s flick-on at the near post is wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45+1 min: Whittaker\u2019s corner is cleared by Southampton<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min: Whittaker\u2019s shot flies over via a deflection as two minutes are added on at the end of the half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.16 EDT<\/p>\n 44 min: Ayling tries to find McGree at the back post but the offside flag goes up. Let\u2019s just say Southampton<\/a> could do with half-time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 42 min: Peretz is called into action again as Targett drives low towards the far corner from the edge of the box, the Saints goalkeeper diving down to his left again to parry it away. Ayling tries his luck from the other side but his shot is blocked.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 40 min: Morris picks Azaz\u2019s pocket on halfway and Boro flood forward again. Targett smacks a cross across the box but no one\u2019s at the back post to turn it in. Morris wins another corner for Boro \u2026 it\u2019s pinball as Conway scuffs the ball goalwards and Peretz dives down to his left to preserve his clean sheet.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.11 EDT<\/p>\n 38 min: Ayling chucks a throw into the Southampton<\/a> box but Malanda can\u2019t flick it on to a teammate. Manning enjoys an adventure over the halfway line for Saints but a rare attack for them comes to nothing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Middlesbrough hit the post!<\/p>\n 36 min: Suddenly there\u2019s a load of space on a Boro break and McGree feeds the ball to the left to Conway. His first-time effort is curled low and pings back off the foot of the post.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 34 min: Peretz takes an age over a goal-kick and Southampton<\/a> surrender the ball again. Targett goes long to Strelec but Wood prevents him from creating a shooting opportunity.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 32 min: Another big chance! Whittaker pulls the ball back across the Southampton<\/a> six-yard box. Conway takes a touch when maybe he should shoot first-time and Bree throws himself in the way of the eventual effort. It seems a matter of time before Boro find a way through.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 30 min: Ayling goes close! The centre-back steps into some space in the Southampton<\/a> half, slips through a challenge and shoots just wide of the far post from the right of the penalty area.<\/p>\n Luke Ayling has a crack at goal. Photograph: Ed Sykes\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.14 EDT<\/p>\n 28 min: Ayling wins a free-kick off Azaz in a way that only Ayling can, with a bit of a flop. From it Boro apply some pressure on the edge of the box until Morris shoots well over the bar from distance.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 26 min: Targett drifts a free-kick across the face of goal but none of his teammates can get on the end of it. Fry has to deal with a ball pumped down the middle and does so, heading back so his goalkeeper Brynn can have a touch.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.57 EDT<\/p>\n 24 min: As a few more Middlesbrough<\/a> corners come and go, it becomes increasingly evident that Southampton have come to the Riverside looking for a clean sheet and not much more. Certainly in the first half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.55 EDT<\/p>\n 22 min: Peretz flaps at the corner and just gets enough on it to prevent Malanda from getting his head on it for Boro.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 20 min: Southampton find some respite in the form of a couple of throw-ins they can take their time over. Conway comes again for Middlesbrough<\/a>, driving inside off the left and hitting a shot that\u2019s blocked out for a corner by Harwood-Bellis.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 18 min: Big chance for Boro! Brittain charges into the penalty area down the right and cuts the ball back for McGree but he can\u2019t guide it on target from just outside the six-yard box.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 16 min: Whittaker shifts the ball on to his left foot on the edge of the box and fires a shot over the crossbar. Larin again fails to hold the ball up against Fry. It\u2019s all Middlesbrough<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 15 min: Whittaker gets to the byline for Boro and wins a corner after Fellows skews a clearance the wrong way. Whittaker goes short, gets the ball back from Conway and the cross floats harmlessly out for a throw.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 13 min: Southampton try to break again but it\u2019s not sticking to Larin. They\u2019ve not really had a kick in Middlesbrough\u2019s half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 11 min: Half-hearted shouts for handball from the home supporters after Strelec tries to get on the end of Brittain\u2019s cross and it bounces off a Southampton<\/a> defender. Bit of a nervy moment for Saints but they escape.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.45 EDT<\/p>\n 9 min: Malanda wins the ball for Boro on the halfway line and Strelec carries it forward to the edge of the Southampton<\/a> box. Ayling\u2019s cross from deep is overhit and out for a throw.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 7 min: Whittaker\u2019s corner is an excellent outswinger and Strelec glances it over the bar. The Boro strikes shakes his head \u2013 decent chance, that.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 6 min: McGree storms into some space in the final third for Boro but his pass to Conway is short and Southampton<\/a> get back. McGree then wins a corner, sliding to shoot and Harwood-Bellis comes across to block.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4 min: Ayling looks for Whittaker with a ball down the channel but Peretz comes off his line to gather. Matt Targett, facing the club where he came through, sends a harmless cross into the Southampton<\/a> box.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 2 min: Boro venture forward down the right but Morgan Whittaker\u2019s cross into the box bobbles safely through for a goal-kick. Boos for former Boro player Finn Azaz as he gets on the ball for the first time.<\/p>\n Southampton’s Cyle Larin holds off Middlesbrough’s Adilson Malanda. Photograph: Craig Brough\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.46 EDT<\/p>\n Kick-off<\/p>\n A very frosty handshake between the two managers \u2013 Kim Hellberg not even making eye contact with Tonda Eckert \u2013 and we\u2019re under way!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018Ten years on, take us back where we belong\u2019 is the banner unfurled by the Boro fans as the players emerge from the tunnel.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s ready for more playoff drama? We\u2019re about to get under way at the Riverside.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n As you can imagine both sets of fans are getting stuck in to \u2018spygate\u2019. There\u2019s around 10 minutes till kick-off.<\/p>\n I spy \u2026 Photograph: Ed Sykes\/Getty Images\u2026 with my little eye. Photograph: Craig Brough\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Championship playoffs: Aaron Bower was at the MKM Stadium for last night\u2019s other semi-final first leg between Hull and Millwall \u2026 don\u2019t let the headline put you off.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Tonda Eckert has been speaking to Sky Sports pre-match, often failing to suppress a smile, about accusations of spying against Southampton:<\/p>\n double quotation markI believe the club has made a statement. That\u2019s all I can say at the moment.<\/p>\n I believe when you arrive in this moment of the season it\u2019s not coaches who win games, it\u2019s the players. It\u2019s going to be the same today. We are focused on ourselves and we have been all week. We know that we face a very good team today. It\u2019s going to be a big challenge.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve been consistent with confidence and humility. We always play to win, that hasn\u2019t changed. We will try to do the same today.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Southampton charged with misconduct over ‘spying’ row Southampton have been charged with misconduct by the English Football League and will face an independent disciplinary commission set to be convened \u201cat the earliest opportunity\u201d.<\/p>\n Middlesbrough remain furious after catching a man they maintain belongs to Tonda Eckert\u2019s backroom staff allegedly spying on a vital training session before Saturday\u2019s Championship playoff semi-final first leg against Southampton at the Riverside Stadium.<\/p>\n It is understood that Steve Gibson, Boro\u2019s owner, will expect the south coast club to be punished severely. Under a rule introduced to deal specifically with spying in 2019, such cases are dealt with by independent disciplinary panels with the power to impose a wide range of punishments ranging from reprimands to fines, points deductions and, in extreme cases, expulsion from the competition.<\/p>\n Under EFL regulations Southampton would ordinarily have 14 days to respond to their two charges but, in a statement, the governing body said it had asked the disciplinary commission to \u201cconvene a hearing at the earliest opportunity\u201d.<\/p>\n On Thursday Middlesbrough reported that a Southampton employee had been caught filming and making audio recordings of Boro\u2019s manager, Kim Hellberg, taking training at their Rockliffe Park base near Darlington after being spotted hiding in bushes.<\/p>\n It is understood Middlesbrough possess compelling CCTV footage of an incident that concluded with the man they allege is a Southampton first-team analyst entering a toilet at the adjacent Rockliffe Hall hotel and re-emerging with a changed appearance.<\/p>\n Tonda Eckert arrives at the Riverside. Photograph: Matt Watson\/Southampton FC\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>Starting lineups: Injured Hackney misses out<\/p>\n Middlesbrough\u2019s Hayden Hackney has not recovered from a calf injury in time to be involved for this one \u2013 he\u2019s not even on the bench.<\/p>\n Middlesbrough XI (3-4-3): Brynn; Ayling, Fry, Malanda; Brittain, Morris, McGree, Targettl Whittaker, Conway, Strelec Southampton XI (4-2-3-1): Peretz: Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Manning; Downes, Jander; Fellows, Azaz, Scienza; Larin Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n Hello and welcome to Spygate 2.0. The buildup to this Championship playoff semi-final has been dominated by accusations that Southampton have been peaking through the bushes at Middlesbrough\u2019s training ground this week \u2013 Saints have now been charged with misconduct by the EFL and will face an independent disciplinary commission \u201cat the earliest opportunity\u201d. The club have said they will be fully cooperating with the EFL throughout the process. Shades of Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds and Frank Lampard\u2019s Derby in 2019 for sure. We\u2019ll get into the weeds, or brambles, of that shortly.<\/p>\n It will certainly make for one hell of an atmosphere at the Riverside this lunchtime as Middlesbrough host Southampton<\/a> in the first leg on the road to Wembley and the Premier League, with the return fixture at St Mary\u2019s on Tuesday. Kim Hellberg\u2019s Boro saw their push for automatic promotion fade away in the final weeks of the season while Saints have surged up the table under the 33-year-old Tonda Eckert and came close to breaking into the top two themselves.<\/p>\n Fetch your binoculars for kick-off at 12.30pm (BST) and get in touch via email<\/a> as the action unfolds. Team news will follow.<\/p>\n![\"Louise](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Louise-Taylor,-L.png\")
Louise Taylor<\/p>\n
Subs: Wildsmith, Gilbert, Browne, Silvera, Castledine, Hansen, Ibeh, Sarmiento, Hunt<\/p>\n
Subs: Long, Stewart, Quarshie, Archer, Edozie, Charles, Matsuki, Welington, Bragg<\/p>\n