Middlesbrough travel to Southampton for the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final on Tuesday night.

Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris believes his side’s Championship play-off semi-final tie with Southampton is ‘up for grabs’ after a goalless draw in Saturday’s first leg at the Riverside Stadium.

The ‘Spygate’ scandal has cast a shadow over the tie after the Saints were charged by the EFL following accusations a member of their staff had been caught spying on a Boro training session ahead of the game. That only added to what was an intense atmosphere on and off the pitch during the first leg as the Riverside Stadium faithful got firmly behind their side in their bid to move a step closer to a return to the Premier League after a nine-year absence.

Kim Hellberg’s men enjoyed the better of the exchanges and had 17 shots throughout the contest but were unable to break the deadlock to ensure the tie remains in the balance as they now prepare for Tuesday night’s second leg on the South coast.

Midfielder Morris admitted there was a need to ‘embrace’ the pressure of the tie as his side look to secure a Wembley date - and he stressed his team-mates must be ‘more of a dog’ if they are to come through a major test to move within 90 minutes of a potential return to the Premier League.

‘Moments we crave’

Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris evades Southampton rival Cyle Larin during the Sky Bet Championship play off semi-final first leg match at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough. Picture: Andy Commins/PA Wire. | Local Library

placeholder image — Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris evades Southampton rival Cyle Larin during the Sky Bet Championship play off semi-final first leg match at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough. Picture: Andy Commins/PA Wire. | Local Library

He told CBS Sports: “It was a lot. It was an exciting first-half. Things went our way in the first-half, we sustained pressure well and then second-half, things got away from us a little bit. That’s always how these games are going to go and I think we put a good 90 minutes together. It’s all to play for on Tuesday. I don’t think much needed to be said. I think you could feel it in the build-up, how much (it meant) to the fans, the atmosphere. I just said embrace it, these are high-pressure moments we crave. These things separate the winners and the losers and it’s just who is more of a dog, who is going to fight, who is going to win the first tackle and I think we did that.”

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