Armstrong's panache condemns Leeds to yet more playoff agony

Southampton's squad ventured to the Isle of Wight for a get-together at the end of the regular season, where the majority owner, Dragan Solak, who dragged his fingernails down his face during the final minutes at Wembley, promised they would have the party of their lives if they sealed promotion.

- Ben Fisher

The chances are those celebrations will take place somewhere more salubrious after Adam Armstrong's goal secured Southampton a return to the Premier League at the first attempt, via a typically fraught Championship playoff final.

For Leeds it was more playoff final agony, this being their fourth to end in tears. For Russell Martin, a beautiful ending to a marathon season but for Daniel Farke, under whom he played at Norwich, it was an altogether different feeling in the pit of the stomach. 

As this game ticked towards the 103rd minute, Armstrong prematurely whipped off his shirt before quickly wrestling it back over his GPS vest after he realised his mistake. He was able to laugh about it seconds later, when this time the referee blew his whistle not for a foul against Joe Aribo but to signal full-time, confirming Southampton's victory.

His overexuberance was more than understandable given his clinical first-half strike was the difference in this encounter. Leeds never really recovered, though Daniel James smacked the underside of the crossbar towards the end of normal time and then forced Alex McCarthy, who had been third-choice goalkeeper for much of the season, into a fine save down to his left. McCarthy had gone shopping in London on the day of his first league start of the season but then Gavin Bazunu ruptured his achilles in the warmup against Preston and McCarthy returned to action. "I guess I'm a bit of an idiot for not playing him sooner," Martin said afterwards.