'Promotion with Blackpool was my biggest day until today'

It has been a very long wait, but Brett Ormerod's first goal in six months was crucial in helping Southampton to an FA Cup final against Arsenal.

"I've been waiting a long time for a goal – since October – and to get it in a semi-final and then win," Ormerod beamed. "I have been trying to score. I kept pegging away and we got the result. It doesn't get any higher than this. I got promotion with Blackpool a couple of seasons back and that was the biggest day of my life until today."

He praised his side's opponents, saying, "We expected Watford to come back. I thought we were edgy and Watford made us work for it. They probably consider themselves unfortunate."

James Beattie was eager to praise Ormerod's contribution to the own goal from Paul Robinson that sealed victory, although the former Blackburn striker admitted he had been at fault for Watford's late consolation goal.

He said: "It was a little bit edgy for the last five minutes when we conceded. I think I lost my man on the corner. I hold my hands up. I've just got to give all the credit to Brett. It was another tremendous run down the left, he's done that several times this year. If it went in off the centre-half I don't care."

The Southampton manager, Gordon Strachan, admitted that his team had not performed at their best. "I said we need to be brave and get the ball on the ground quickly and start passing it better," he said. "We showed two bits of skill with both the goals.

"You try your best to relax. It's not a nice game to play in as far as I remember but the final's a good one."

Strachan added to the praise for Ormerod, saying: "He's had everything – he's had the physical and the mental knocks in football and he's come back stronger. I thought he was excellent."

The Scot said that despite the daunting nature of the opposition, his side will travel to the final at the Millennium Stadium intent on winning. He added: "It's excellent. It's been a good couple of years. The players have been first class; I was left with some good ones."

The Watford manager, Ray Lewington, admitted that he was unhappy with the two goals his side conceded, but he was keen to praise his players for the effort they put in.

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

Lewington put his backing behind 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."