West Brom's Carlos Corberan reveals pre-game irritation and hits back at Southampton pitch claims

The Baggies' Wembley play-off dream crushed to a halt in the second leg of the play-off semi-final with a comprehensive 3-1 defeat that sees Southampton face Leeds in next weekend's final.

Russell Martin's hosts scored three second-half goals to take the contest away from Corberan's men following a stalemate at The Hawthorns.

Corberan admitted the best side won through and deservedly so, but was left deeply unhappy with things that went against the visitors at St Mary's, notably how the away team bus was kept waiting for 15 minutes for the squad to enter the stadium. The Albion head coach had to find a way for Albion to finally enter the ground's perimeter, as thousands of Saints fans congregated outside.

"I think the way we came to the stadium today was not the right way," Corberan said. "We were waiting in the bus for 15 minutes to find the entrance to the pitch, I don't know why nobody could coordinate and help us follow normal protocol.

"I didn't expect this. I think it shouldn't have happened. We arrived 95 minutes before the game but in the end we could only go in the dressing room 80 to 75 minutes before the game.

"Is it an excuse? Zero. But the level of protocols in these kind of finals has to be according to the level of football we represent.

"The police moved us to one place, they disappeared and 10 minutes we were waiting in the bus for someone to explain to us how to come to the stadium. I was the one who decided to not follow the instructions of someone leading us to arrive to the stadium. There are things I don't understand."

Asked about safety issues caused by a pitch invasion from home fans at full-time, Corberan added: "I don't know the security of the team, stadium, were in charge of this, I don't know. But I repeat Southampton were better than us. In the first leg? No. Today they were better than us, that's why they achieved Wembley.

"Not because they moved the line (in), that didn't make any difference or impact, they didn't need to, and probably not because we arrived more late than I wanted to arrive, but at the same time they are things that need to be fixed for the level of football we represent."

Home boss Martin had revealed Southampton moved the St Mary's pitchside advertisement hoardings inwards to prevent Albion right-back Darnell Furlong from a sufficient run-up for his long throw-ins.

Martin said the re-sizing idea was not his but once again brought up the issue of a dry pitch at The Hawthorns during the hot weather in last Sunday's first leg.

Martin smiled: "I think the Saints Foundation has a chance for people to donate. Listen, you do everything you can, the pitch at West Brom was really dry, it wasn't watered as much as it could've been and tonight Darnell didn't have as long as he might have to possibly through.

"It's in the laws of the game, it wasn't my suggestion, but it was a great suggestion. It maybe played a part."

Corberan hit back and insisted Southampton have enough quality to focus on advantages such as the side of the pitch, and claimed The Hawthorns pitch was watered as normal last weekend.

The Spaniard said Albion's pitch is not at the level of St Mary's due to the Baggies' limited resources in comparison to the relegated Premier League side.

"I think Southampton has a very good coach and very good players. They didn't need to do some of the things they did, probably to limit the width of the pitch to achieve the result they achieved, because they play excellent attacking football.

"They have amazing players but especially an amazing attacking coach, one of the best that I know in England. I was just surprised, because they were not just focused on the things they are very good at. But they made a very good game.

"They limited the pitch but when you do things inside of the regulations in football (then) it's fair. If they did it more or less, it's something that everyone can decide.

He said of The Hawthorns pitch last weekend: "We put the water on the pitch, but the difference was the game was 2.15pm, with a level of temperature not normal at this time in the country, and you cannot put water on it during the first half during the water break from the referee.

"It is a ridiculous answer about this. I want to play football in the best pitch conditions, always, because if not you cannot play well. I never want to have the grass higher or longer, unfortunately the condition of our pitch is not the one of Southampton's pitch, because financially we couldn't invest in our pitch in the last two years.

"That is why our pitch now needs treatment, an important treatment. This is a complete mistake. We always want to play in the best conditions. This is what we need."