Southampton held Middlesbrough to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final at the Riverside Stadium, a match overshadowed by allegations that the Saints spied on their opponents during the buildup.
Middlesbrough dominated the first half, registering 17 shots to Southampton's none, with Tommy Conway hitting the post. However, the visitors grew into the game after the break and struck the crossbar through Taylor Harwood-Bellis late on.
Boro manager Kim Hellberg expressed his displeasure after the match, saying: 'It doesn't feel right, it just doesn't feel right. I feel a bit sorry for Southampton’s fans and players because they haven’t done anything wrong. But it’s not OK in general.'
Southampton boss Tonda Eckert refused to comment on the spying allegations, stating: 'Nothing for me to worry about,' and insisted the focus is on Tuesday's second leg.
The second leg at St Mary's will determine who advances to the playoff final at Wembley, with the tie finely poised after this stalemate.
