West Brom and Southampton inseparable at Hawthorns
West Bromwich Albion and Southampton played out a goalless draw at The Hawthorns in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
Both teams had plenty of chances, but a combination of poor finishing and impressive goalkeeping from the Saints' Alex McCarthy and the Baggies' Alex Palmer ensured the tie remains finely poised for the return leg at St Mary's Stadium on Saturday (AEST).
Roared on by a loud Hawthorns support, the hosts started well but were unable to capitalise, and it was Southampton that went closest in the first half as Kyle Walker-Peters smashed a deflected effort wide, while Palmer kept out Flynn Downes' shot.
West Brom rallied and had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 33 minutes on the clock as Grady Diangana nodded Tom Fellows's cross towards goal, only for McCarthy to get across and make a brilliant stop.
The tempo slowed somewhat after the interval, but the game burst into life again with a little more than 10 minutes to play, as McCarthy denied Diangana before substitute Ross Stewart lashed goalwards up the other end, only to see his shot somehow kept out by the wrong-footed Palmer.
Both sides pressed for a precious goal late on, but neither could break the deadlock and it remains all to play for at St Mary's to see who will face either Leeds United or Norwich City at Wembley on 27 May (AEST).
With Norwich and Leeds also drawing 0-0 in their first leg earlier in the day, it is the first time since 2011 that the first leg of both Championship play-off semi-finals have ended goalless.
