00:00 West Bromwich Albion are still very much in the championship
00:04 playoff semi-final against Southampton. Both teams today
00:08 playing out a nil-nil draw here at the Hawthorns. A very hot
00:11 and sticky Hawthorns, humid. Russell Martin after the game
00:15 complaining about the conditions. The players
00:17 enduring two drinks breaks throughout. The referee, in the
00:20 end, a young referee, deciding that that was the best decision
00:22 because of the heat. Now actually it's clouded over, it's
00:25 got a lot cooler here. Maybe the players could have done with
00:28 that a bit more earlier on today. But this is the nature of
00:31 the playoffs. It's in May, it's going to be hot. It's going to
00:34 be hot. They contested as well on the field and that's what we
00:36 saw today. Both teams neither deserve to lose. So the fact it
00:41 was a nil-nil draw is very much deserved. But it's a surprise
00:44 that it was goalless. There were so many clear-cut chances for
00:47 both teams. The goalkeepers, Alex Palmer and Alex McCarthy,
00:50 making some big saves. Grady Deanganas, I think, right at the
00:54 end was a big opportunity and also a header in the first
00:57 half as well. Saints had their own opportunities. Flynn Downs
01:01 with one in the first half and in the second as well. And there
01:04 was also one in the first half when Kyle Walker-Peters got
01:09 beyond Connor Townsend and fired a shot towards the far corner.
01:13 Whether it was a cross or a shot, I'm not too sure, but it
01:15 was deflected off Townsend and very nearly went in. There's
01:19 also a deflected shot from a Southampton winger. I can't
01:23 even remember. I think it was Stewart, Ross Stewart, on the
01:25 left-hand side. A bit of a blur now, but it was saved
01:28 excellently. That's the thing I remember by Palmer, by his feet.
01:32 He was diving, it was deflected off Kyle Bartley, I believe it
01:35 was, so awkwardly. You'd expect it to fly past Palmer, but he
01:39 somehow got the connection on his foot to keep the ball out.
01:43 In the end, it was nil-nil here at the Hawthorns. I think
01:46 West Brom deserve to be going to St Mary's with no disadvantage.
01:51 I think they definitely held their own, but they weren't
01:53 clinical enough to take their opportunities and take advantage
01:56 of the incredible atmosphere at the Hawthorns. Carlos Corbán,
02:00 in the post-match press conference, admitted that it was
02:02 the best atmosphere he's ever experienced in his career, which
02:06 is pretty impressive considering he's managed in Spain, he's
02:09 managed across Europe, and of course he's been in the playoff
02:11 final with Huddersfield at Wembley. So to say that this was
02:14 the best atmosphere he's experienced is quite something,
02:17 but I'd have to agree in terms of how strong it was and how
02:21 loud and proud the West Brom fans were, especially before the
02:24 game. You can hardly hear yourself. It's just a shame that
02:27 Albion couldn't gain an advantage to go to St Mary's next
02:29 week, but that is where they go on Friday. They've got a few
02:32 days to prepare for that one. It should be a bit cooler down
02:35 on the south coast. Can they hold off and can they deal with
02:39 the St Mary's atmosphere? We'll have to wait and see, but
02:42 West Brom have got a fantastic chance. They've got plenty to
02:44 learn and take from this. They just need to go one step
02:47 further now to reach the playoff final at Wembley, and then
02:50 who knows what can happen against Leeds or Norwich City
02:53 for a place in the Premier League. But still lots to do,
02:56 still lots to play for at St Mary's on Friday.
02:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]
