Watford - 1 Southampton - 2 Southampton have far more than a journey to Cardiff for the final to look forward to after this victory. Next season Europe beckons
With Arsenal heading for the Champions League, Gordon Strachan's team will claim the UEFA Cup place on offer for this competition even if they are beaten by the holders at the Millennium Stadium next month. Today Watford, tomorrow the world.
Almost 20 years have passed since Southampton last competed in Europe, in the 1984-85 season, but the strides taken by the club under Strachan have guaranteed an exciting reward for after the summer. Perhaps they will be FA Cup winners by then, too. They have beaten Arsenal once already this season, winning 3-2 at St Mary's in November.
Southampton will surely have to improve on this display to defeat Arsene Wenger's team, but that can wait. A Brett Ormerod header and a Paul Robinson own-goal earned them a win they just about deserved yesterday out of a scrappy yet passionate encounter.
Marcus Gayle's late header provided Watford hope and gave the scoreline a fairer reflection but the First Division side lacked the quality to complement their endeavour.
Though the game was hardly a classic, it was poised neatly enough to hold the attention. Southampton never found life easy against opponents who set out to deny them fluency by closing down quickly but overall they had the edge. There were periods when Watford caused them problems, notably at the start of the second half, but Paul Jones pulled off an impressive and important stop at 1-0 to help Southampton on their way.
In Ormerod, Strachan had a striker who found his scoring touch at an ideal moment. The former Blackpool player had gone 23 games without a goal, last finding the net at home to Fulham on October 27th. Here he scored before half-time to cap his team's best spell, also setting up the second when Robinson touched his cross over the line as James Beattie slid in.
Beattie celebrated after the game in a ginger wig worn by Southampton fans as a tribute to Strachan. It should not be forgotten that the club were 19th in the Premiership when the Scot replaced Stuart Gray in October 2001. They faced only one top-flight club, Tottenham, en route to this final but they demolished Spurs in the third round and avoided slip-ups against four successive first division clubs.
This victory was professional rather than spectacular. Jones, replacing the injured Antti Niemi, made a vital early stop. The central midfielders, Matt Oakley and Anders Svensson, made sure their workrate matched Watford's efforts.
The breakthrough came when Anders Svensson won a challenge in midfield and fed Chris Marsden, whose cross was met unmarked by Ormerod. Chamberlain got a glove on the ball but, unlike David Seaman in the earlier semi-final, could not keep it out.
It was Watford's first conceded goal in this Cup run.
After Michael Svensson had wasted a free header for Southampton and Watford had wasted a couple of chances, Ormerod set up the decisive strike. Again Watford lost the ball in midfield, this time Hyde being dispossessed by the substitute Rory Delap, Ormerod accelerated and centred, Robinson getting the final touch.
When Gayle got ahead of Beattie and headed in an Ardley corner, Watford sensed a way back. But it was not to be.
WATFORD: Chamberlain, Mahon, Cox, Gayle, Robinson, Ardley, Hyde, Vernazza (Nielsen 56), Glass (Cook 77), Helguson, Chopra (Tommy Smith 70). Subs Not Used: Dyche, Lee. Booked: Cox, Robinson, Helguson. Goals: Gayle 88.
SOUTHAMPTON: Jones, Telfer, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Bridge, Fernandes, Anders Svensson (Delap 78), Oakley, Marsden, Ormerod (Tessem 90), Beattie. Subs Not Used: Davies, Higginbotham, Blayney. Booked: Fernandes. Goals: Ormerod 43, Robinson 80 og.
Referee: M Riley.
