Alex McCarthy denies West Brom as Southampton secure first leg draw
“Breaking down barriers since 1978” was the message on the big screens in the seconds before kick-off, a nod to Laurie Cunningham, Brendon Batson and Cyrille Regis, a trio of West Bromwich Albion heroes credited with changing the face of the game. At the end of this playoff semi-final West Brom were left wondering what might have been after failing to find a way past the Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who ensured Friday’s second leg is finely poised.
Both teams will look back on the 78th minute as a moment when things could have turned in their favour. McCarthy made a big save to deny Grady Diangana after Tom Fellows charged down the right wing, breezed past two Southampton players and laid the ball on a plate for his teammate. Southampton promptly went up the other end and the substitute Ross Stewart’s deflected shot looked set to beat Alex Palmer only for the West Brom goalkeeper, diving to his left, to hook the ball clear with his right foot.
