Taylor Harwood-Bellis available for Southampton’s Championship play-off final after review | OneFootball

Taylor Harwood-Bellis will be available for Southampton’s Championship play-off final against Hull City at Wembley, despite an allegation of discriminatory language that had placed his involvement in doubt.

“We back ourselves to beat anyone, home or away,” he told BBC Radio Solent ahead of the play-offs. “There’s a relentlessness in the team, the manager and the staff at the moment, it’s where we’re living, right at the top, every single day in what we do.”

Just before half-time in the semi-final second leg at St Mary’s, referee Andy Madley halted play after Middlesbrough’s Luke Ayling complained he had received a discriminatory comment from Harwood-Bellis. Madley then spoke to Tonda Eckert and Kim Hellberg on the touchline as tempers flared and the Southampton boss was held back by the fourth official.

Afterwards, Harwood-Bellis’s place in the final was unclear. Eckert said he did not yet understand the situation, noted the pair spoke after the game and seemed fine, and that he would check with his defender.

Following a review of Madley’s report, no action will follow because Ayling chose not to pursue the matter, meaning Harwood-Bellis is free to be selected.

The centre-half and stand-in captain has been integral under head coach Tonda Eckert. Amid the Spygate controversy at Southampton, his availability is a significant early boost. Southampton still need to hit their peak to overcome Hull.

Source: Sainstmarching.com