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Tonda Eckert’s impressive team went at Arsenal from the get-go and were rewarded with a place in the semi-finals Ben Fisher was at St Mary’s tonight. Here’s his verdict. Thanks for reading this MBM. Mikel Arteta is asked on TNT: what went wrong? “The result … especially the way we conceded the two goals … we had our moments … we conceded the first goal in a very unusual way … the second from direct play as well … we had two massive chances before Southampton scored … we needed to capitalise on them … [Southampton] are a really good side … you have to congratulate them … you have to adapt to the wind, to the injuries … now we have to show what we are made of … the team had their moments and should have capitalised and be at Wembley … we haven’t done it, so that’s our responsibility. ” Arteta meanwhile doesn’t know the extent of Gabriel’s injury. “We are going to have to assess and see how he is. ” The match-winner Shea Charles speaks to TNT. “We went to Wembley a couple of years ago and won promotion … to go in the FA Cup is unbelievable … it shows how good we’ve been … playing against the best team in the country … it’s special … credit to the boys … don't fear the opposition … respect them, but not too much … when you don’t start games your aim is to come on and make an impact … I just try to do what the manager tells me to do … it shows how confident we are, getting into the box … there are still very good teams in the competition … there’s no reason why we can’t go on and challenge them … we can dare to dream! ” Saints boss Tonda Eckert – unflappable, as he has been all night, the calmest man in the stadium - talks to TNT Sports. “It was a big night for us … we knew we had to dig deep in some moments … we had some good spells on the ball … over the 90 minutes it was very well deserved … every game has its own story … some games you might need to win with 70 percent possession, some games you win on a transition or a set piece … I think we have shown that we are able to play games in different ways … that is important … a big night for us … a big night for the supporters. ” The semi-final line-up. Saints are the only club from outside the Premier League left in the velvet bag … and yet on tonight’s showing, nobody will fancy facing them. Whatever happens from here on in, today’s players have done the memory of the 1976 team proud. It’s a lovely strip as well. Manchester City Chelsea Southampton West Ham United or Leeds United Post-match postbag. “When Arsenal’s defence doesn’t perform flawlessly, the attack can’t bail them out. Luckily for the Gunners, they’ve been mostly flawless at the back this season. But when fatigue sets in, defensive mistakes get more common” – Kári Tulinius “Manchester City are nine points behind. And yet it feels like they are favourites for the title. An all-time Arsenal bottle feels imminent” – Joshua Keeling “Max Dowman to be given free rein of the tuck shop tomorrow, all others to be kept in for detention, then a diet of double physics for all next week” – Charles Antaki “Southampton P&O Cruised their way to the semi-finals” – Gary Byrne Ross Stewart, who scored with a deft, confident touch, speaks to TNT Sports. “Incredible … we spoke about what it would mean to the club … to beat arguably the best team in Europe at the minute … it’s an incredible feeling … what a night, we’ll enjoy this! … credit goes to the manager … tactically he’s been incredible … we looked a threat on the counter … we had to bide our time … we’re going to Wembley! … incredible … [scoring] was a great feeling … what a day [Wembley] will be for the club … we’ve got league business to take care of, but we’ll enjoy this! ” Arsenal were dreaming of a quadruple a fortnight ago. Now, in short order, their trophy hopes are down to just (! ) Premier League and Champions League. But tonight is all about Southampton. They set about the league leaders from the get-go, deservedly led at the break, and didn’t let their heads drop when Arsenal equalised. They defended doggedly, but attacked with panache, and could easily have scored more than the two excellent finishes they did manage to notch. St Mary’s erupts with delight: the home heroes are going to Wembley again, 50 years after their greatest success. Southampton were a second-tier side in 1976 as well. They couldn’t again, could they? On this evidence, nothing is out of the question. They have been brilliant. Southampton are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup! And deservedly so! 90 min +7: Arsenal go long. They have to. Gyokeres can’t collect the ball out on the right, and Wood ushers it out for a goal kick. He celebrates that like a goal, too. Before Peretz can restart the game, Quarshie comes on for Manning. 90 min +6: Saints take the corner short. Of course they do. Charles and Larin think they’ve won another, but it’s a goal kick. 90 min +5: Fellows dribbles hard down the right, makes some space past Calafiori, and batters a rising shot goalwards from a tight angle. Kepa parries the ball over the bar. Corner. 90 min +4: Dowman is fouled by Charles. Martinelli wants to take a quick free kick, and shoves the referee out of the way! He’s booked for his sauce. The free kick’s worked out to the right flank, then back infield, where Calafiori flays over the bar from distance. Southampton so close to Wembley now! 90 min +3: Madueke comes in from the right and lashes a wild shot over the bar. He’s claiming it took a deflection, and wants a corner … but the officials don’t agree, and he’s not getting one. 90 min +2: On TNT Sports, Lucy Ward names Scienza as her player of the match. Meanwhile on the pitch, Fellows dances in from the right and has the opportunity to shoot, only to overthink it. He’s dispossessed, and Martinelli swans up the other end, cutting in from the left and shooting low … but not particularly hard. Easy for Peretz. 90 min +1: Gyokeres batters a witless free kick straight into the Southampton wall. What a waste. Especially as the ball ends up back at the feet of Kepa, who slices a kick out for a throw. 90 min: Before it can be taken, the board goes up. There will be six additional minutes. 89 min: Dowman skitters down the middle of the park with Gazzaesque bustle, and is brought down from behind by Jander, who is booked. A free kick coming up, 25 yards out, in a central position. 88 min: Martinelli curls in from the left. Peretz claims. That’s celebrated almost as heartily as the goal. 87 min: Everyone in St Mary’s is now in a state of high anxiety, one way or the other. The tension is palpable! A big shock on the cards now. 86 min: Arsenal are claiming that Larin, in an offside position, was in Kepa’s line of sight. But that’s not the case. The goal stands. This is a wonderful goal! Fellows glides in from the right flank. He reaches the edge of the box, drawing five defenders towards him. He then slips a pass to Charles, on his left. Charles takes a touch, opens his body, shifts his feet, and steers a forensic shot across Kepa, off the base of the left-hand post, and in! 84 min: The resulting corner is worked back up the left flank and rolled infield for Martinelli, who from the left-hand edge of the D creams a low drive inches wide of the target. Peretz might have had that covered, but he’ll be mighty glad it flew wide. 83 min: Dowman is afforded too much time and space to the right of the Southampton D. He aims a powerful curler towards the top left. Peretz extends fully to turn around the post. Great play all round. Dowman is a real talent, like that’s breaking news. 82 min: Space for Charles out on the right. He’s got Larin in the middle, unmarked, but hesitates over the pass infield and another opportunity goes begging. 80 min: Azaz steals the ball on the centre circle and advances down the inside left. He’s got the opportunity to release Larin down the channel, but overhits the pass. Larin, yet to get into the game, shows some frustration. That was a promising situation. 79 min: Zubimendi comes on for Havertz, who departs with a fine assist. 78 min: Havertz steals the ball off Manning down the Arsenal right and feeds Madueke, who once again bursts into the box, takes a heavy touch, and runs out for a goal kick. Meanwhile on the Arsenal bench, Gabriel has a large ice pack on that knee. 76 min: Charles comes on for Bragg. 75 min: Bree’s corner is flapped away by Kepa, under pressure from Udogie. That wasn’t the most convincing goalkeeping, but it does the job. 74 min: Fellows sashays past Calafiori down the right with ease. He loops a cross to the far post, where White is forced to knee behind for a corner. Bree will take. 72 min: Gabriel goes down holding his left knee. On comes the physio. Mikel Arteta takes the opportunity to give his team an impromptu team-talk. Then Gabriel gets back up and wanders off. Saliba takes his place. 71 min: Southampton respond with a double change. Stewart and Scienza are replaced by Larin and Edozie. 70 min: Saints had their chances to double their lead. But they couldn’t quite manage it, and that triple substitution completely changed the momentum. The mood inside St Mary’s is very different now. Arsenal have been turning up the pressure, and now it pays. Gabriel plays a pass down the inside-left channel to release Havertz, who draws Peretz towards him at the near post before cutting back for Gyokeres, who can’t miss from six yards. The league leaders are level! 66 min: Harwood-Bellis gives the ball away, 35 yards out. Dowman intercepts and dribbles down the middle. He tries to release Gyokeres to his right, but misplaces the pass and Saints clear their lines. 65 min: Madueke turns on the jets to steam past Wood on the right. But he takes a heavy touch, and the ball sails out for a goal kick. Madueke goes over as it all happens, but isn’t looking for a penalty, making no claim. 63 min: … but that lead is precarious, and Arsenal nearly wipe it out! Dowman dribbles elegantly down the inside-right channel. His dink into the middle is only half cleared, and Martinelli collects the ball before hoicking it over the bar from the edge of the box. A fine cup tie sways this way and that, delicately balanced.