Southampton will face Leeds United in the Championship play-off final after a stylish second-half performance saw them beat West Bromwich Albion.
After a goalless first leg, Saints midfielder Will Smallbone opened the scoring in the second half of the second leg, striking from an angle into the top right corner of Baggies keeper Alex Palmer’s goal from just inside the box.
Adam Armstrong doubled Saints’ lead to trigger a party atmosphere inside the ground with just over 10 minutes remaining.
The hosts’ Wembley place was gauranteed when he doubled his tally from the penalty spot after Ryan Manning was fouled, with Cedric Kipre’s injury-time header for the visitors a mere consolation.
Southampton supporters welcomed their team in their thousands, gathering outside the ground with red and white flares, lining the streets more than two hours before kick-off.
Pyrotechnics and flamethrowers added to a thrilling pre-match atmosphere, but it took until Smallbone’s goal for the game to heat up.
Saints first came the closest to opening the scoring in the first half, Armstrong getting in behind the West Brom defence before cutting the ball back to David Brooks who fired wide from close range.
Russell Martin’s home side started the second half impressively and the atmosphere erupted when they took the lead through the boot of Smallbone, who netted his seventh goal of the season.
Saints supporters felt they should have had a penalty after Brooks was scissor tackled by Kipre in the box but, to their dismay, nothing was given.
Armstrong settled the nerves later on, drilling a low shot into the back of the net before celebrating in the far corner of the Northam stand.
The hosts were eventually given a penalty in the closing stages when Manning steamed into the West Brom box before being taken down, with Armstrong making no mistake from the spot.
Kipre’s header through the outstretched gloves of Alex McCarthy was too little too late for West Brom.
Martin reunites with Farke in Wembley showpiece
Martin named a matchday squad without Che Adams for the second game in a row with Armstrong moving centrally away from his normal wide position, with Bournemouth loanee Brooks taking up a position on the right-hand side.
It was a move that paid off, with two more goals for Saint’s top scorer.
That Southampton eventually coasted their way to victory, steered in part by the talismanic Armstrong who now has 23 goals this season, is testament to the fine job Martin has done this term.
Having arrived off the back of Saints losing their Premier League status after 11 years in the top flight, he has kept them in with a shout of an immediate return despite having limped towards the finish line.
Martin will be familiar with their rivals at Wembley, with Southampton having not only beaten Leeds on 4 May at Elland Road as well as 3-1 at home, but because he also played under Daniel Farke.
Saints can clinch an immediate Premier League return when they travel to the national stadium next Sunday
Progress for Albion despite play-off defeat
West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan (centre) led the Baggies to fifth position and nine points more this season than last
