Tonda Eckert's Southampton team remained resolute on teeside to return to St Mary's level after the first leg of a tense playoff semi-final at the Riverside Stadium.
Southampton rode their luck to keep Middlesbrough out in the first half of a one-sided tie at the Riverside.
Tommy Conway wasted the best of Boro's chances and should have bagged himself a hat-trick as the sides went in level. First, James Bree threw himself in front of Conway's close-range effort to block the shot and send the ball out for a corner.
Then, Boro pounced on a wayward pass by Cyle Larin and surged forward. When the ball arrived at Conway's feet, he struck his right-footed shot crisply and low past Daniel Peretz's outstretched left hand. Fortunately for the Saints, the ball bounced off the inside of the post and out to safety.
Conway's luck continued to desert him when the ball fell to him in a crowded six-yard box following a Boro corner. The luckless striker failed to catch his shot properly, allowing Peretz to get across and save well.
The Saints grew into the match in the second half and had a good chance to put themselves ahead when Cyle Larin headed tamely wide from a good position at the far post.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis almost gave Southampton the lead with five minutes of the match left to play when he rattled the underside of the crossbar from a perfectly delivered free-kick out on the left.
Then a swift counterattack started by Shea Charles ended with Sam Edozie's low shot grazing the outside of the Boro post.
Player ratings: Middlesbrough 0-0 Southampton
Goalkeeper and defenders
Daniel Peretz - 7/10:Â A busy first half for Saints' Israeli keeper who was beaten by a Conway shot only to see the ball come back safely off the post. Some woeful distribution during the first period put the Saints under unnecessary pressure.
James Bree - 6/10:Â Given a torrid time by Tommy Conway in the first half. Somehow got himself in the way of a close-range Conway shot to keep Boro out during a period of mounting pressure from the home side. Hardly troubled in the second half.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis - 6/10:Â A dominant defensive performance but struggled to influence the game during the first half. Gave Peretz both barrels when the Israeli fluffed a clearance. He headed against the bar when he should really have given the Saints an advantage to take back to St Mary's.
Nathan Wood - 8/10:Â Another mixed performance from the Saints defender. Made some great defensive blocks and headers in the opening 45 minutes, but gave the ball away needlessly a couple of times too. Some very powerful defending in the second half.
Ryan Manning - 6/10: Struggled in the first half and allowed Morgan Whittaker to get the better of him. Ignored by Scienza twice when in good positions. More involved going forward in the second half. Delivered an excellent free-kick, which Harwood-Bellis headed against the bar.
Midfielders
Flynn Downes - 6/10:Â Sat too deep in the first half and hardly got a touch. Took a yellow for the team on the hour when he stopped a Boro attack on the halfway line with a cynical foul on Whittaker.
Caspar Jander - 9/10:Â Another top-quality performance from the German, who seemed to be playing against Boro on his own in the first period. Continued in the same vein of form throughout the second half.
Finn Azaz - 5/10: Azaz gave the ball away too often, but that sometimes happens when he tries to create opportunities out of nothing. Booed every time he touched the ball by the Riverside faithful.
Attackers
Tom Fellows - 5/10:Â Fellows had a poor first half as Southampton sat way too deep and encouraged Boro to play on the front foot. Found the head of Cyle Larin with a cross early in the second half from which the Canadian should have done better.
Léo Scienza - 6/10: Southampton's left winger hardly got a kick in the first half. Far more involved in the second half as Southampton asserted some control. Missed the target with a trademark shot on the hour. A much better second half performance.
Cyle Larin - 4/10:Â The Canadian's worst performance of the season in a Saints shirt. Struggled to hold the ball up and gave the ball away cheaply. Missed an easy chance with his head and then got booked. Withdrawn early in the second half.
Substitutes
Ross Stewart - 7/10
Shea Charles - 7/10
Kuryu Matsuki - 6/10
Sam Edozie - 6/10
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