Middlesbrough versus Southampton, in the first of two Championship playoff semi-final matches, didn't quite live up to its pre-match billing on Saturday lunchtime.
Indeed, the game at the Riverside was billed as being a heated and intense affair, that was going to be full to the brim with goals, according to Kim Hellberg, with the added spice of Southampton allegedly spying on Boro training only ramping up the passion between the two fanbases pre-match.
In actuality, a tense and cagey 0-0 draw would play out, with the likes of Cyle Larin way off his usual best in front of goal. Scoring eight goals during the regular season, the Canadian could only muster up one unconvincing shot from his 19 touches of the ball.
Moreover, Finn Azaz wasn't terrorising opposition defences to his usual standards, either, with zero shots and zero key passes amassed against Boro, despite putting away 11 goals and eight assists this season, away from the nerve-wracking lottery of the playoffs.
It was very much a match for the defences to shine, with Daniel Peretz putting in another stunning display in between the sticks, to keep the fired-up hosts at bay.
Peretz put in another standout performance
The Israel international had to stay alert throughout the first half that was dominated by the hosts.
Staggeringly, Boro would accumulate 17 shots at Peretz's goal during a very one-sided first 45 minutes, while the Saints failed to muster up a single shot of their own.
Thankfully, while four of those 17 shots went down as big chances created, the hosts would frustratingly fail to find the back of net, as the Bayern Munich loanee constantly bailed his underperforming team out.
Having a far less busy second half to contend with, as Boro could only register a weak four shots, next to Southampton's six, Peretz's efforts allowed Tonda Eckert's men to dream that they could pull off a smash-and-grab victory on their travels to Teesside.
With nine clean sheets now next to his name on the South Coast, from 22 overall appearances, it's clear that the promotion chasers must try to seal Peretz's permanent signature when the drama of the playoffs dies down.
Yet, there was another bright performer at the back who was even more impressive than the agile stopper...
The Saints star who was even better than Peretz
On another day, Hellberg's hosts would have romped home to a devastating first leg win in front of their beloved masses.
Instead, they now have to travel all the way down to the South Coast to pick up a result, as James Bree heroically defended all match, next to Peretz.
Tommy Conway was a thorn in the Saints side all throughout the first 45 minutes, as the ex-Bristol City attacker even hit the post during a breakaway move.
He was also denied a goalscoring opportunity, after being found in the box, by Bree, as the one-time Charlton Athletic loanee valiantly blocked his effort, before it could go goalbound.
The brave 28-year-old was rock solid throughout, with possession only given away eight times from his 51 touches of the ball, as he has emerged as a good luck charm for Eckert and Co.
Amazingly, since coming into the first-team fold in the second half of the season, the South Coast side haven't lost a single game, with his own personal 19-game unbeaten stretch still intact after a determined showing on the road at the Riverside.
With two goals and two assists up his sleeve this season for Southampton, too, Eckert will be hoping his trusty defender is up for the reverse fixture on Tuesday night, as he's a crucial part of the Saints machine, alongside the likes of Peretz.
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