LONDON — Southampton ignored the controversy over their alleged spying on Middlesbrough to earn a 0-0 draw in the first-leg of their English Championship play-off semi-final on Saturday.
The Saints have been charged with a breach of English Football League regulations after Middlesbrough accused them of spying on a training session this week.
The allegations of unauthorised filming by someone connected to Southampton came two days before the clash at the Riverside Stadium.
It revived memories of an incident when Leeds were fined for spying on a Derby training session before a match between the two clubs in January 2019.
Middlesbrough flew out the blocks fuelled by a sense of injustice, with Tommy Conway going close on three occasions as Kim Hellberg’s team amassed 17 shots in the first half alone, AFP reported.
Morgan Whittaker smashed a fierce strike over narrowly over from the edge of the area and Riley McGree prodded across the face of goal from another good opportunity.
Conway hit the post in the 34th minute, moments after James Bree had made a crucial block to stop the forward’s goal-bound effort.
Southampton were beaten 4-0 on Teesside earlier this season, but they improved after the break to nullify Middlesbrough’s threat.
Tonda Eckert’s side, unbeaten in the Championship since January, came close to snatching victory, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis seeing a six-yard header crash back off the crossbar in the closing stages.
Binoculars and branches were among the props brought by Middlesbrough fans to the game in a joking dig at Southampton’s espionage.
Saints fans chanted “we’ll spy when we want” throughout the game.
The grudge match will be settled in the second leg at St Mary’s on Tuesday, with the winners playing Millwall or Hull in the final at Wembley on May 23.
Millwall hosts Hull on Monday after a 0-0 draw in their semifinal first leg on Friday.
