Key events
88 mins: West Bromâs subs are definitely making a difference. The energy of Wallace and Swift in wide areas is worrying the Saintsâ defenders, but still the final ball is lacking.
86 mins: Are these sides content with a 0-0, making it a straight shootout at St Maryâs? Youâd think that scenario benefits Southampton, so maybe West Brom should be pushing harder in these final stages.
84 mins: Never change, Southampton. This game is nearly 85 minutes old and still they insist on playing out from the back, despite being faced with a fresh and fierce West Brom forward press. The hosts win it back, amid a surge of sound from the stands.
82 mins: Iâm baffled as to why Corberan has left it so late to make these changes. Surely an early look at the bench could have offered them more impetus? Answers on a postcard, please.
81 mins: Four changes at once for West Brom. Everyone looks shattered.
Ajayi, Swift, MâVila and Wallace are all coming on.
Yokuslu, Thomas-Asante, Johnston and Fellows all trudge off for a well-earned sit-down in the shade.
78 mins: Cramp is setting in among the West Brom players, yet they still havenât made a change.
Diangana then spurns a golden opportunity to open the scoring for the hosts! He was played in by Fellows but hit it straight at McCarthy ⦠at the other end Stewart picks it up and shoots at goal, and a deflection almost takes it in. Palmer re-adjusted to make the block. Wow, what a passage of play!
76 mins: Thereâs a distinct lack of urgency and, in truth, a lack of quality about this match now. Someone needs to ignite the fuse and set the playoff fireworks alight.
74 mins: Mowatt curls it over. Ah.
73 mins: Stephens switches to left-back for Southampton. Stewart will provide more of a physical presence up front.
The action is at the other end right now, though, as Harwood-Bellis is booked for a cynical block on Diangana, conceding a free-kick in a really dicey spot. Mowatt might fancy this. Itâs just outside the box, slightly to the right, a left-footerâs dream.
72 mins: Itâs actually a triple change for Southampton.
Mara, Armstrong and Manning are all replaced, with Brooks, Fraser and Stewart all introduced. It could be a change of shape, too, from Martin, more of a 4-3-3.
71 mins: Bartley has stayed on, despite that apparent injury, but miscues his header from the corner.
70 mins: Saints want to make their subs, but West Brom have forced a corner. Martin isnât happy his replacements havenât been allowed on yet. This would be an awful time to concede â¦
68 mins: Furlong hurls in a long throw from the right, into a cluster of bodies surrounding Alex McCarthy. A few shoves wonât stop the Saints stopper from claiming the ball.
Now, how about those changes, lads â¦
65 mins: Meanwhile, Southamptonâs David Brooks is limbering up, as both sets of players take on more fluids.
64 mins: Itâs going to be a defensive change for Albion â a forced one at that. Semi Ajayi is stripped and looks set to replace Bartley, who has been clutching his hamstring in the past few minutes.
63 mins: One of these managers needs to make an attacking change. Fresh legs will be vital on a day like this, in a game of such high stakes.
61 mins: Oh so close for the Baggies and itâs Furlong, stealing in from right-back to meet Johnstonâs cross, who has gone closer than anyone today. There wasnât a huge amount of conviction in the full-backâs finish, though.
60 mins: The momentum is back with West Brom and itâs all coming through their wingers. The Hawthorns senses something might be coming â¦
57 mins: Excellent wing play from West Brom. First Johnston gets on a run, then itâs switched to Fellows, who stands up a quality cross but thereâs nobody there to nod it home. Eventually, it drops to Mowatt, who skews his volley way over.
56 mins: Thatâs a smart turn from Mara, outwitting Johnston who canât help himself and sticks out a flailing leg. A clear trip and a yellow card.
The Baggies are getting a bit frustrated here, committing foul after foul. Corberan isnât happy.
54 mins: Southamptonâs wing-backs are pushing themselves up and up, with much of their attacking threat coming through them. The screw is turning here, you feel, as Ariboâs shot is blocked by Bartley.
52 mins: Downes is allowed to travel 30 or 40 metres, driving Southampton forward and eventually laying it off to Manning, whose cross is into bodies from the left. Better from the visitors, a little impetus at least.
51 mins: Iâm afraid to report that a game of football has not yet broken out in this second half. Cagey doesnât quite cover it.
50 mins: Itâs West Bromâs turn to enjoy some measured possession. Mikey eventually gets it on the left but gets his cross all wrong.
48 mins: Saints have started the half in composed fashion, though theyâre still having trouble getting Armstrong in the game. His first touch keeps allowing defenders to snuff him out. Aribo handles on the edge of the box, just as a shot was threatening.
Second half = started. No imminent changes, actually, despite it being thought Ross Stewart might be getting prepped.
The start of this game was delayed, and half-time seems to have taken an interminable amount of time, too. Looks like there could be a Southampton substitution in the offing as we prepare to resume in the West Bromwich heat.
For those of you on attendance-watch.
Att. 25,367 (1,996 Southampton fans) #wba
— Lewis Cox (@LewisCox_star) May 12, 2024
While I grab a half-time choc-ice, you can follow our coverage of the Womenâs FA Cup final.
HT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton
A pretty even 45 minutes, youâd have to say. West Brom began brimming with fire and fervour, but Southampton have gradually blunted their enthusiastic hosts over time, looking every inch the 87-point side they were over the league campaign. The visitors have lacked a clinical touch, however, with Che Adams a big miss.
Itâs on a knife-edge, itâs absorbing, but itâs not yet had the high drama that weâve come to expect from playoff semi-finals in recent years. The best is yet to come (hopefully).
45 mins: Bartley is now on his haunches after colliding with his own keeper, Palmer, in an attempt to clear that latest corner.
Weâre into three added minutes at the end of this first half.
44 mins: It came to little. A tepid sort of delivery from the midfielder.
Saints do now have a corner, though.
43 mins: Not winded, no. The Southampton wing-back is clutching his left ankle. Martin doesnât look overly concerned and Walker-Peters is quickly back to his feet. Here comes the free-kick, which Smallbone will take from wide right â¦
42 mins: Boos among the home fans as Walker-Peters wins a free-kick and subsequently slaps the ground in apparent pain, after Townsendâs hefty challenge. KWP might need a minute here. Winded maybe?
41 mins: Right, West Brom and Southampton, any chance of breaking the deadlock before half-time please? These playoff games need goals!
I seem to have started a debate about the name âMikeyâ.
Joe Pearson emails, clearly not enamoured with the My Family reference, with an alternative link.
To your older American readers, Mikey will always be the kid in the Life Cereal commercial:
39 mins: Weâve really not seen enough of Adam Armstrong in this half of football. Heâs just been flagged offside as West Bromâs back four step up at the apt moment.
37 mins: Bartley ghosted in at the back stick from the free-kick and headed across goal, but it was too close to McCarthy.
