Summary

  • First legs of Championship play-off semi-finals both end goalless for first time since 2011

  • FT: Norwich City 0-0 Leeds United

  • Firpo has ball in net for Leeds but effort ruled out for offside in game of few chances

  • Second leg at Elland Road on Thursday

  • FT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton

  • Diangana twice goes close for Baggies, Downes and Stewart have efforts saved for Saints

  • Second leg at St Mary's on Friday

  1. Let's try again, shall we?published at 16:45 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    Norwich City boss David WagnerImage source, Rex Features

    Are you not entertained? Well, maybe not actually.

    Two Championship play-off semi-final first legs today and two goalless draws (played out in very hot conditions to be fair) mean we're no closer to knowing who will be meeting at Wembley in a fortnight for a place in the Premier League.

    Leeds host Norwich on Thursday evening and Southampton welcome West Brom the following night in second legs which promise to be more open affairs than today's tight tussles.

    We will of course have live text coverage of both games and I hope you can join us then.

    Cheers!

  2. 'We had to defend well'published at 16:41 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    FT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Southampton boss Russell Martin told BBC Radio Solent:

    "I’m quite pleased with the result, it was a tight game against a good team In a brilliant atmosphere.

    "I would have liked a clean sheet before the game so I’m happy with that, we had to defend well.

    "We should have caused a few more problems for them but It isn’t easy."

  3. Downes on getting sunburnpublished at 16:37 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    FT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes speaking to Sky Sports:

    "We wore the storm early.

    "The conditions weren't the best for us. The pitch was a bit dry, a bit hot.

    "For the first half an hour, I couldn't breathe. I was getting burnt as well which didn't help but you've got to get used to it.

    "When you get to the last 20 minutes, we were thinking lets not concede.

    "We've got the advantage at home now.

    "You see it here. The crowd is like an extra man. Hopefully a bit of rain as well."

  4. Baggies will go to St Mary's with confidencepublished at 16:35 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Nick Mashiter
    BBC Sport football news reporter at The Hawthorns

    West Brom were unlucky to lose 2-1 at St Mary's in November and will still go there on Friday with confidence, even if they failed to break Southampton down.

    Yet the Saints will be favourites in the second leg. They defended well, even if they rode their luck a couple of times, with Jan Bednarek particularly impressive.

    They also need to find a killer touch, with Adam Armstrong too isolated at times, and in an even tie one goal could be enough to take either side to Wembley.

  5. The play-off story so far...published at 16:31 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    Danilo OrsiImage source, Rex Features
    Image caption,

    Crawley striker Danilo Orsi (left) hit a hat-trick to help Crawley to a thumping 5-1 win at MK Dons yesterday

    The second legs of the Championship play-off semi finals are still to come of course but the League One and Two semi-finals have already been and gone and we've had a bit of everything.

    In the third tier, Bolton will play Oxford for a place in the Championship after the Trotters held off Barnsley to progress 5-4 on aggregate despite the Tykes nearly pulling off a great comeback in the second leg in Lancashire.

    The Yellows are in a second League One play-off final in five seasons after beating Peterborough 2-1 on aggregate.

    If you wanted action and drama then the League Two play-offs were the place to be.

    Doncaster, who went on a club-record-equalling 10-match winning run to claim a play-off spot, looked to be set fair to reach Wembley after winning 2-0 at out-of-form Crewe.

    However, the Alex roared back to level the tie on aggregate inside the first 16 minutes and ultimately prevailed on penalties.

    They'll play Crawley at the national stadium next Sunday after the Red Devils whacked MK Dons 8-1 across the two legs.

    That's the biggest aggregate win in play-off history.

  6. 'We gave ourselves something to play off'published at 16:27 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    FT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    West Brom winger Tom Fellows told Sky Sports:

    "It was a really good atmosphere and game at The Hawthorns today

    "Both teams had good chances, unfortunately we couldn’t take them but we gave ourselves something to play off in the next leg.

    "It will be different at their place, we will go there, give it our best and see what happens."

  7. 'It was like cat and mouse'published at 16:27 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    FT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Alex Palmer speaking to Sky Sports about his important save to keep out Ross Stewart's deflected shot in the second half:

    "That's what we train for. You've got to stay ready, stay concentrated and that's my job.

    "It was a tight game. Chances for both teams, it was like cat and mouse.

    "It was well contested."

  8. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    #bbcefl on X, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Charlie: Can we just have Leicester and Ipswich come up next season? Those two first legs were so boring.

    I think you're being a bit unfair on that West Brom-Southampton game, Charlie. That could very easily have finished 2-2.

  9. Postpublished at 16:20 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    Southampton fansImage source, Rex Features

    These Southampton fans saw my entry earlier when I said there'd be a goal today...

  10. 'St Mary's will be rocking'published at 16:20 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    FT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Adam Blackmore
    BBC Radio Solent sports editor

    Southampton came to town with five at the back and leave with a draw, a brilliant defensive performance.

    There is plenty of football to still be played, I'd say Saints will be favourites to go through now with the second leg at home.

    St Mary's will be rocking on Friday night, a goal would be enough to take them to Wembley.

  11. 'Albion couldn't break Southampton down'published at 16:17 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    FT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Tony 'Bomber' Brown
    West Brom's all-time leading goalscorer on BBC Radio WM

    It's been a great game, an intense game. It's what you expected the situation to be.

    Albion had the better chances in the first half but in the second half Southampton defended well and Albion couldn't break them down.

    Southampton will be more pleased with this result than Albion but it's not over yet.

  12. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    For the first time since 2011 the first leg of both Championship play-off semi-finals end goalless.

    Wait, come back!

    This one was at least a livelier affair than the 0-0 at Carrow Road earlier today.

    Alex McCarthy made two decent saves from Grady Diangana for the Saints and Baggies counterpart Alex Palmer made a brilliant save to keep out Ross Stewart's deflected effort from 20 yards.

    These pair will do it again on Friday evening down in Hampshire.

  13. Postpublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Jo Tessem
    Ex-Southampton midfielder on BBC Radio Solent

    Jan Bednarek has stood out to me in this game for his defensive contribution today.

    He has been superb, if Saints come away with the clean sheet then a lot of that has to go down to his performance.

  14. Postpublished at 90+5 mins

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Grady Diangana goes down after a messy challenge from Ryan Fraser on the edge of the area.

    Not sure how much contact the Saints man made but it was risky to say the least.

    The Baggies hurl in another long throw and the ball comes to Adam Reach on the edge of the area and he nearly volleys the ball to Dudley.

  15. Postpublished at 90+4 mins

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Really well headed away by Jan Bednarek in the middle.

    The big Pole has had a very good game today for Southampton.

  16. Postpublished at 90+3 mins

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    West Brom win a corner down their right.

    One last chance for a late winner...

  17. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 90 mins

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Six minutes of time added on.

    A late winner in the offing?

    Conor Townsend makes way for Adam Reach for the home side.

  18. Postpublished at 88 mins

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Grady Diangana has been lively for the home side and had their two best chances today.

    He tries to bundle his way through but Southampton shut the door.

  19. Southampton's risk and reward footballpublished at 16:04 British Summer Time 12 May 2024

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    Nick Mashiter
    BBC Sport football news reporter at The Hawthorns

    Southampton's play comes with high reward but also carries huge risk.

    Alex McCarthy's loose pass gifted Albion a chance after they pinned Saints back in their own area.

    If it pays off Southampton are the slickest team to watch in the Championship but it has cost them goals this season. In a play-off tie this tight they cannot afford to get it wrong.

  20. Postpublished at 86 mins

    West Brom 0-0 Southampton

    There had been eight play-off matches across League One and Two this season before today.

    None of them had ended goalless. Looks like we're going to have two 0-0s from two today.

    PROVE ME WRONG LADS!