Adam Armstrong continued Southampton’s reputation as the Championship’s late kings as his 79th-minute winner clinched a 2-1 victory over promotion rivals West Brom.
Will Smallbone had put Saints ahead early on before Kyle Bartley levelled things, with West Brom almost leading when Darnell Furlong hit the crossbar.
But Armstrong coolly prodded in his ninth goal of the season to grab the league-high eighth goal Saints have bagged in the last 15 minutes of their matches.
It extended Southampton’s unbeaten run to eight matches while halting West Brom’s three-game winning streak.
As they had in the previous seven games, Saints scored first.
Stuart Armstrong cut back to Adam Armstrong from the byline in the fifth minute. His shot was saved but the rebound fell to Smallbone to slam in from close range.
Conor Townsend thought he had cleared off the line but the goal-line technology confirmed West Brom had conceded the first goal in a match for the first time since September.
The hosts took hold of the game without testing Alex Palmer’s goal again, until the 28th minute.
Kyle Walker-Peters was released down the right, he stepped over to beat his defender before passing to Smallbone, via Kamaldeen Sulemana, but his snapshot had too much elevation and cleared the crossbar.
The Baggies rallied, found a powerful press and came knocking for an equaliser in the last 10 minutes of the first half.
Nathaniel Chalobah may have slipped when recording his side’s first shot but showed the intent.
Brandon Thomas-Asante’s shot was scuffed but was destined for the bottom corner had it not been for Taylor Harwood-Bellis throwing himself at the ball to head behind.
Turkish midfielder Okay Yokuslu then fired over from the corner of the box as Southampton were relieved by the whistle.
Mason Holgate had returned to the starting eleven in place of the suspended Jan Bednarek. The former West Brom loanee had a few nervy moments in the first half but grew into the game with a vital block to deny Thomas-Asante.
Still, the Baggies pushed without end product and in the 63rd minute Matt Phillips showed his directness to jinx off his flank before his curling shot bounced just wide.
There was no surprise when two minutes later the away side levelled.
Thomas-Asante powered a header from Jed Wallace’s cross, with centre-back Bartley following up to bundle over the line for his second goal of the season.
The momentum continued when Townsend’s wicked cross was attacked by Darnell Furlong and crashed into the crossbar.
It woke Saints up and with 11 minutes left, they went straight up the other end and scored.
Adam Armstrong calmly pulled Ryan Fraser’s cross down at the back post and slotted in his ninth goal of the campaign. It was Saints’ only shot on target in the second period.
Gavin Bazunu produced a stunning stoppage-time save to deny Jayson Molumby and hold on to the three points.
Rooney lauds 'exciting' opportunity after being named Plymouth head coach
Wayne Rooney is looking forward to an "exciting project" after he was named head coach of Plymouth Argyle.
Plymouth narrowly avoided relegation from last season's Championship, finishing just a point and a place above 22nd-placed Birmingham City.
Incidentally, Rooney managed Birmingham during the campaign, though he lasted less than three months before being sacked.
Having replaced the fired John Eustace with the club sitting sixth in the Championship, Rooney was dismissed in January after winning just two of his 15 matches at the helm, with Birmingham ultimately going on to be relegated to League One.
Though his time at Birmingham was challenging to say the least, Rooney has high expectations for his new role, saying: "Taking this role at Plymouth Argyle feels like the perfect next step in my career.
"This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting project. I look forward to helping to build a squad of players to play expansive football.
“I have experienced first-hand how talented the existing group of players is here, and also the incredible atmosphere at Home Park. The club is on an exciting long-term journey, with a progressive plan in place. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of it.
"I can't wait for the Championship season to start in August."
Michel hails 'incredible' season but admits Girona face battle to replicate success
Michel saluted an "incredible" season for Girona, but admitted it will be hard for his side to emulate their exploits next term.
The Blanquivermells have enjoyed a campaign to remember in LaLiga, topping the table on several occasions before eventually finishing third and securing Champions League qualification for the first time.
Michel's side capped the season with the biggest win in the club's history, as Artem Dovbyk scored a hat-trick in a 7-0 rout of already relegated Granada at Estadio Municipal de Montilivi.
Their final total of 81 points makes them one of only four teams to reach that tally in LaLiga's current format, along with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
But Michel already has his sights set on next season, during which he knows Girona will have to work hard to repeat their success - especially with several players expected to leave the club.
"I'm feeling a bit down because good things are over," he told reporters. "We achieved something very important. The day-to-day of the season has been incredible.
"The counter resets to zero. We will start to fight for a great season to come, and that's what we will do from tomorrow onwards.
"The dynamics of football tell you that there won't be the same players or the same season. The problem is that many people will be missed.
"We are growing, and we have to continue taking steps forward. We have to lay the first stone, rest, recover, celebrate this great success and, from next week, start planning to put Girona as high as possible."
Simeone concedes 'it is not easy' for Atletico to compete with Madrid
Diego Simeone believes Atletico Madrid have fallen short of their objectives this season, but conceded it is difficult to compete with the "best team in the world" in Real Madrid.
Although they are set for a fourth-place finish in LaLiga, Los Rojiblancos are 21 points adrift of Carlo Ancelotti's newly crowned champions.
Atleti fell to Borussia Dortmund following a 5-4 aggregate defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals, while they were soundly beaten by Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
And as a third successive trophyless season comes to pass at the Metropolitano Stadium, Simeone admits his side could have done better.
"We have the responsibility to get into the Champions League every year. You can be left out, but you can also be champions," he told reporters ahead of Atletico's final LaLiga game of the campaign against Real Sociedad.
"But with Real Madrid, who are the best team in the world and will continue to be because they have rejuvenated the squad, it is not easy.
"We have to keep working at 120 per cent because 100 per cent is not enough, and 80 per cent is even less to be able to get closer to them, keeping in mind that those below us are also improving.
"We were close to the Copa del Rey final and were expecting to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. We created the illusion of being in a possible final, and we weren't able to do it, so now we have to think about what comes next to improve things.
"I have had players who have allowed me to compete as we have done since I arrived, and a coaching staff where everyone who has walked this path has given maximum effort. There is always room for improvement and growth."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
