Strachan hails Cup ‘romance’ as Saints go marching on

Southampton 2

A Brett Ormerod header and an own goal from Paul Robinson secured a 2-1 semi-final victory over Watford who grabbed a late consolation from Marcus Gayle and an FA Cup final showdown against Arsenal next month.

Ormerod headed home skipper Chris Marsden's cross after 43 minutes and then supplied the 79th minute cross which Robinson bundled into his own net, although Gayle headed a goal back with three minutes remaining.

Strachan said: "The FA Cup gives players who are not the best in the world the chance to have a taste of what it is like to be a champion.

"Over time the championship will determine who are the best players but the FA Cup has a romance that allows people who have come through difficult times to have that moment when they feel like champions and Brett Ormerod must feel like a champion now.

"Brett has broken his leg a couple of times and was knocked back by Blackburn but he kept coming back, so I knew when I signed him I was getting somebody who was physically strong and mentally strong. The longer the game went on the better he became.

"Most of our players have had to come through hardship. Chris

Marsden was playing in a lower division for something like 14 years and at Stockport he might have thought 'this is it'.

But he battled away and because he did well Dave Jones brought him here and he has ended up reaching an FA Cup final."

Ormerod has been in the shadow of 21-goal strike partner James Beattie this season, but emerged as the hero and Strachan could not resist some tongue-in-cheek praise for the 26-year-old.

"I said to the pair of them yesterday, they have got a great partnership - they have scored 24 league goals between them," said the Scot.

"Brett might be Beattie's best-ever partner and they have done well together.

"Our top goalscorer from last year (Marian Pahars) and our record signing (Augustine Delgado) are not playing, and that's like taking Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord out of the picture. So if you keep winning and keep scoring goals it is not bad going.

"This is the happiest day of my managerial career and the added bonus is being in Europe. The most special day was when I was at Coventry and we avoided relegation on the last day of the season against all the odds.

"We can look forward to the final now, although I don't subscribe to that old 'enjoy the day' theory. You can enjoy the build-up, but you cannot enjoy the day if you get beaten."

Watford manager Ray Lewington was naturally disappointed that his team's FA Cup dream had come to an end, but said his players could walk away with their heads held high.

"We started really well but the difference was they were a bit more composed on the ball and we gave away two poor goals," said Lewington.

"The pleasing thing was that they never dropped their heads, we huffed and puffed and had a go, but Southampton were the better side and we had no complaints.

"I am pleased that the players can walk away with their heads held high and we did ourselves justice.

"It has been a lovely story with the trouble we were in when we might have gone into administration, but we have dragged ourselves back and the players have done unbelievably well."

Lewington backed Southampton to give Arsenal a run for their money in the final and added: "They are a good side with some quality players, they pass the ball well, they are very organised and hard working, and they are in with a real good shout for the final."

WATFORD: Chamberlain, Mahon, Cox, Gayle, Robinson, Ardley, Hyde, Vernazza (Nielsen 56), Glass (Cook 77), Helguson, Chopra (Tommy Smith 70).

SOUTHAMPTON: Jones, Telfer, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Bridge, Fernandes, Anders Svensson (Delap 78), Oakley, Marsden, Ormerod (Tessem 90), Beattie.

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).