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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<\/a> have displayed, and Eckert\u2019s team perhaps won\u2019t need more than one or two clear chances to win this. We shall see.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.20 EDT<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 50 min: Speaking of fouls, the telly director is replaying what looks a clear foul by Stewart before he scored the equaliser for Southampton<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.13 EDT<\/p>\n 48 min: Southampton\u2019s 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\u2019s a foul.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 47 min: Scienza is still on. He doesn\u2019t look to be moving freely.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Second half kick-off!<\/p>\n And I\u2019ve just switched the heating on. Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Sky Sports report that Ayling of Middlesbrough<\/a> has claimed Southampton\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Ayling did look genuinely furious.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.10 EDT<\/p>\n A smattering of half-time reading:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.54 EDT<\/p>\n Half time: Southampton 1-1 Middlesbrough<\/p>\n Tasty, pretty tasty.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min +5: Middlesbrough\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.52 EDT<\/p>\n 45 min +2: Southampton<\/a> have mostly been second-best but it seems like they will go in level at the break. We\u2019ll have a minimum of six minutes added.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.52 EDT<\/p>\n Goal! 45 min: Southampton 1-1 Middlesbrough (Stewart)<\/p>\n Brittain wrestles Scienza to the floor, off the ball, just outside the penalty area. The Brazilian is clearly, and rightly, a source of concern. Bree sends the resulting free-kick to the far post, where a volley by Manning is blocked, parried up in the air by Brynn, and Stewart is there to outjump Harwood-Bellis and nod the ball in!<\/p>\n Ross Stewart rises highest \u2026 Photograph: Warren Little\/Getty ImagesAnd puts the home side back on level terms. Photograph: Andrew Matthews\/PAWhich pleases the home fans. Photograph: Kieran McManus\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.59 EDT<\/p>\n 44 min: Scienza tries again down the Southampton<\/a> right. It takes two defenders to stop him and eventually he fouls Whittaker. The crowd roar their disapproval.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.44 EDT<\/p>\n 39 min: The referee, Andy Madley, goes to have a chat with the managers \u2026 and something is obviously said, and the managers look ready to square up to each other! They virtually have to be separated!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.45 EDT<\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Ayling is furious about something, and presumably not just what he thought was a dive by Scienza.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.42 EDT<\/p>\n 37 min: Nathan Wood of Southampton<\/a> is booked for dissent.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 35 min: On balance of play, 2-0 would not flatter Middlesbrough<\/a>. They have made most of the running and kept Southampton\u2019s forward line very quiet for the most part.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 35 min: \u201cThe goal coming from Ayling Brittain on the right wing,\u201d emails Alex.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd they say satire is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n Excellent.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 31 min: Brittain hammers another shot at the Saints goal after a corner. It\u2019s deflected but Peretz makes a good save.<\/p>\n 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 \u2026<\/p>\n There was a little shirt pull on Stewart by Brittain \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.34 EDT<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.31 EDT<\/p>\n 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<\/a> goalie, presumably about perceived timewasting.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.29 EDT<\/p>\n 25 min: Middlesbrough<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019s tightened up a bit now. The co-commentator says \u201cMiddlesbrough are taking their time already \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.25 EDT<\/p>\n 21 min: Now Scienza tries a cross from the Southampton<\/a> left. But it\u2019s 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.)<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.23 EDT<\/p>\n 20 min: The game settles down a touch and Southampton<\/a> have a chance to try and build from the back. Matsuki tries a cross from the right wing but Boro\u2019s defensive shape looks really good, and they deal with it easily.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.21 EDT<\/p>\n 18 min: Morris loses it on the edge of Middlesbrough\u2019s penalty area, attempting to turn and play the ball out from a defensive area. He gets away with it \u2013 but that could have been a real howler.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.19 EDT<\/p>\n 15 min: McGree suddenly threatens with a good pacey run down the middle. He\u2019s offside. But the visitors continue to create more than their hosts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 15 min: \u201cReasons To Love Marcelo Bielsa #4970,\u201d emails Dave. \u201cDoing something a bit naughty, shrugging his shoulders and saying \u201cyeh, fair cop guv\u201d (Or the Spanish equivalent).<\/p>\n \u201cThat word salad of a \u201cstatement\u201d from Phil Parsons is an embarrassment frankly, just own up, own it and move on.<\/p>\n \u201cP.S. I think the Saints fans who have turned up adorned in foliage of various descriptions are childish, immature and very funny.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.15 EDT<\/p>\n 13 min: McGree, the goalscorer, is booked for a naughty late tackle.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n Southampton\u2019s Ross Stewart shoots \u2026 Photograph: Andrew Matthews\/PABut can only watch as his effort flies wide of the far post. Photograph: Robin Jones\/Getty ImagesStewart rues his miss. Photograph: Andrew Matthews\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.25 EDT<\/p>\n 9 min: The Southampton<\/a> fans are singing that one about the Saints going marching in. They\u2019re trying to give them team a lift \u2026 but here come Boro again.<\/p>\n Morgan Whittaker has Manning on toast down the visitors\u2019 right, and slams a shot into the side netting. Southampton\u2019s defence is creaking every time Boro have the ball, it feels like.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.12 EDT<\/p>\n 7 min: Boro continue to make all the running. Southampton\u2019s defence, already breached once, is seriously under the cosh. Aidan Morris is excelling for the visitors early doors.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Goal! 5 min: Southampton 0-1 Middlesbrough (McGree)<\/p>\n It\u2019s in there! Ayling finds Brittain on the Boro right after the visitors work the ball over nicely from the opposite flank. The Southampton<\/a> defence seems all over the shop \u2013 Brittain is afforded plenty of space to advance in a wide area, then squares a low pass towards the general vicinity of the penalty spot. McGree applies a sidefooted finish that skims through a few bodies and in at the far post!<\/p>\n Riley McGree (left) sidefoots Middlesbrough in to an early lead. Photograph: Graham Hunt\/ProSports\/ShutterstockMcGree celebrates. Photograph: Paul Blake\/Focus Images Ltd\/ShutterstockAs do the Boro fans, one of whom gets in a cheeky Spygate reference. Photograph: Simon Dael\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.59 EDT<\/p>\n 4 min: Should that have been a penalty for a hack by Matsuki on Strelec. Looked like it, on replay.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.04 EDT<\/p>\n First half kick-off!<\/p>\n Allez!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here we go then. Teams on the pitch, and everything. Pre-match pleasantries have begun.<\/p>\n Can Middlesbrough<\/a> replicate the intensity they brought to the first leg?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIf Southampton had been caught spying on Bristol City,\u201d emails Will Cook \u2026 \u201cWould it be called Ashton Gategate?\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s a great question Will, I like it very much.<\/p>\n But no, it wouldn\u2019t be called Ashton Gategate, unless the training session that was spied on was in the stadium.<\/p>\n Have a lovely evening.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It was notable that neither coach \u2013 as far as we saw \u2013 was asked about Spygate in their pre-match interviews on Sky Sports. Perhaps that was agreed by the club\u2019s media people and the telly people?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSpygate is all fun and games until some team loses a spy, Luke,\u201d emails Justin Kavanagh.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Southampton<\/a> are found guilty can Fulham be reinstated to the FA Cup?\u201d asks Richard Hirst. \u201cJust asking for a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n Which way for the Spygate bantz? Photograph: Andrew Matthews\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.04 EDT<\/p>\n And Kim Hellberg, Southampton<\/a> head coach, says: \u201cGood opponent, tough opponent, good challenge.<\/p>\n \u201cOur goal is to try to do the same thing [as the first leg when they created plenty of chances] \u2026 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Tonda Eckert, the Southampton<\/a> gaffer, has a chat:<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to take the positives from last game \u2026 we have great support \u2026 if we bring that together, we make the last step today.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have shown how tough it is for teams to come to St Mary\u2019s \u2026 I\u2019m very sure tonight will look very different to the first leg.\u201d<\/p>\n Tonda Eckert. Photograph: Simon Dael\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.17 EDT<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a link to Southampton\u2019s earlier statement<\/a> about the small matter of Spygate. (Not that they call it that, of course.)<\/p>\n On my telly just now, some Boro fans were pictured wearing bits of trees on their heads, or draped across their shoulders.<\/p>\n It\u2019s all good fun. OK, mostly good fun.<\/p>\n The Southampton bus arrives. Photograph: Matt Watson\/Southampton FC\/Getty ImagesA Middlesbrough fan resplendent with foliage. Photograph: Andrew Matthews\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.50 EDT<\/p>\n It\u2019s THREE changes for Southampton<\/a>. Kuryu Matsuki, Shea Charles and Ross Stewart come into the side.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.41 EDT<\/p>\n After the first leg, Luke Ayling of Middlesbrough<\/a> was asked about the spy scandal. He was at Leeds when similar occurred under Marcelo Bielsa. He said he was \u201cpleading the fifth\u201d. Then, he said the players know nothing about that sort of thing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.41 EDT<\/p>\n Ed Aarons was at the Den last night to see Hull City book their place in the Wembley final:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to email<\/a> me, babez.<\/p>\n The fans are loving it. Photograph: Matt Watson\/Southampton FC\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.37 EDT<\/p>\n It\u2019s a spicy atmosphere on the south coast. It appears the Boro bus was hit with a few objects (bottles?) on its way in.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a vociferous welcome at St Mary\u2019s for the Middlesbrough team bus. Photograph: Andrew Matthews\/PAThings are getting flarey at St Mary\u2019s. Photograph: Andrew Matthews\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.09 EDT<\/p>\n Teams<\/p>\n Three changes for Southampton: Kuryu Matsuki, Shea Charles and Ross Stewart come in.<\/p>\n Southampton (4-2-3-1): Peretz; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Manning; Charles, Jander; Matsuki, Azaz, Scienza; Stewart. Substitutes: Long, Stephens, Wellington, Downes, Bragg, Fellows, Edozie, Archer, Larin.<\/p>\n Middlesbrough: Brynn; Malanda, Fry, Ayling; Targett, McGree, Morris, Brittain; Conway, Whittaker; Strelec. Substitutes: Wildsmith, Gilbert, Munroe, Browne, Silvera, Castledine, Edmundson, Hansen, Sarmiento<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.35 EDT<\/p>\n I\u2019m scouring the newswires like a man possessed for the lineups, but cannot see them as yet. I\u2019ll be off to the socials, then, back soon.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHi Luke,\u201d begins Peter Oh on email. So far, so uncontroversial.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always liked the Southampton crest<\/a>, especially the halo over the ball,\u201d continues Peter. \u201cHowever, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau. (Not a spy.) Photograph: United Artists\/AllstarShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.10 EDT<\/p>\n If you missed any of it, here are the stories we\u2019ve published on Spygate\u2122 since last week, including the first-leg match report from Louise Taylor:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.05 EDT<\/p>\n Preamble<\/p>\n What a week it\u2019s been in the world of association football. Fisticuffs at Real Madrid<\/a> and a seismic VAR decision<\/a> involving Premier League-chasing Arsenal and relegation-threatened West Ham feature in the highlights (or lowlights). But juiciest of all? The spying allegations levelled at Southampton by Middlesbrough before their Championship playoff first leg last week.<\/p>\n Southampton were charged with misconduct last Friday, after an individual was allegedly discovered creeping around in the bushes at Boro\u2019s training ground, and this morning Southampton<\/a> confirmed that an internal investigation has been launched. The English Football League intend to convene a hearing \u201cat the earliest opportunity\u201d, but clearly it is a situation that could get extremely messy, depending on the result tonight.<\/p>\n Middlesbrough are confident they have compelling evidence of a Southampton employee filming and making audio recordings of that all-important training session last Thursday before the goalless first leg on Friday. A \u201crogue analyst\u201d theory has been bandied about by Southampton fans, essentially and probably foolishly hoping to claim that there is nothing to see here.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll discover what the independent disciplinary committee, chaired by a barrister, makes of all that in due course but first there is a football match to play. Are Southampton heavy favourites to progress having drawn their away leg 0-0? Not on the basis of Millwall 0-2 Hull City last night<\/a>. Playoff semi-finals are never less than highly-charged, but Spygate is going to crank the highly-charged-ness right up to 11 tonight.<\/p>\n Kick-off: 8pm BST<\/p>\n