Brett Ormerod's first half header and an own goal from Paul Robinson booked Southampton an FA Cup final against Arsenal with a 2-1 win over First Division Watford at Villa Park. Ormerod gave Saints the lead with his seventh goal of the season, and Robinson diverted the Southampton striker's cross into his own net in the 79th minute to give them a commanding lead.
Marcus Gayle pulled one back for Watford from a late corner to set up a grandstand finish, but Gordon Strachan's team held on and will now advance to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on May 17 for Southampton's first final appearance in 27 years. The victory also means Southampton can look forward to European football next season, as the fact that Arsenal are destined to finish in the top four and secure a Champions League place will hand them a UEFA Cup spot.
Watford came within inches of taking the lead when Michael Svensson's clumsy challenge on Michael Chopra presented the First Division side with a free-kick on the right 10 yards outside the box. The ball was swung in towards the far post by Ardley and met by a powerful downward header from leading scorer Heidar Helguson. The ball took the faintest of deflections from the arm of defender Svensson and looked to be creeping inside the near post, but Paul Jones reacted smartly and managed to push it around the post.
The Premiership side were slow to settle, but once they did they slowly began to take charge, with James Beattie and French livewire Fabrice Fernandes both going close. Southampton came close to getting their noses in front after 35 minutes when there was a breakdown in communication between Neil Cox and Alec Chamberlain, and Beattie nipped in to steer a shot just beyond the far post.
The goal eventually arrived eight minutes later when Anders Svensson won possession in midfield and fed skipper Chris Marsden on the left flank. His cross was an inviting one and Ormerod was unchallenged on the six-yard line as he met it with a powerful header which Chamberlain could only help into his net to spoil the goalkeeper's 750th club career appearance.
Saints might have finished off Watford in the second minute of the second-half when Beattie crossed from the left and Michael Svensson had more time than he realised as he headed the ball straight at Chamberlain. Watford then staged a rally of their own and might have equalised on two occasions. First, after 55 minutes, Micah Hyde stubbed his shot wide, before Jones came to Saints' rescue again seven minutes later, tipping over a header from the on-loan Chopra.
The crucial second goal arrived ten minutes from time when Ormerod chased a loose ball in the far left corner and delivered a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box. Beattie challenged for the vital touch along with Gayle and Robinson, and as all three crashed to the ground in a heap the ball went in off the Watford left-back.
Southampton were given a late scare when Ardley curled in a corner from the right and Gayle won a header which sailed into the far top corner, but they held their nerve and were able to celebrate a victory which sets up an all-Premiership FA Cup final which they can approach with some confidence.
Filed by Shane Murray
