For Rishi Sunak, a rare scent of victory - but for Leeds United, perennial black sheep of the play-offs, another shattering taste of eeh bah glum.
In monsoon conditions ideal for calling a General Election without a brolly, Adam Armstrong’s sabre-like finish restored Southampton to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Prime Minister - born in Southampton and a drop-in Saints fan, especially if there’s a photo opportunity in it - missed a measured display in the £200million promotion shoot-out, which was light relief from ominous opinion polls.
In front of Hollywood royalty Dustin Hoffman, Rain Man himself, a tense spectacle began in a downpour but ended with Saints back in the sunlit uplands. Only the most grudging observer, or Portsmouth fans, could deny they deserved it.
For the 11th time since 2004, the world’s richest game of club football was been settled by a single goal, and for artistic merit, it was as much fun as constipation, but Saints won’t care a fig about that.
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This game is big business, not a beauty pageant. Head coach Russell Martin’s game plan was spot-on and his players executed it to perfection. Southampton’s back five never yielded an inch, with the outstanding Kyle Walker-Peters keeping Crysencio Summerville so quiet that the Championship player of the year was hooked after 73 minutes.
And Armstrong, who could barely get a look-in at Newcastle under an austere regime, underlined why he is the most clinical marksman outside the top flight.
Saints will need huge investment in their squad to make a better fist of the Premier League jungle next season, but that’s for another day. For Leeds - six play-off adventures, six crushing disappointments, including four finals - another defeat on the big stage was catastrophic.
Southampton beat Leeds 1-0 at Wembley (Simon Dael/REX/Shutterstock)Just as they came up short against Charlton (in 1987), Watford (2006) and Doncaster (2008), they failed to seize the day. Manager Daniel Farke, twice promoted to the Premier League with Norwich as a champion, faces an uncertain summer.
And for 18-year-old Archie Gray, it could be even worse. If Mr Sunak has his way, the great nephew of Elland Road legend Eddie Gray faces 12 months of National Service if people put their cross in the wrong box on July 4.
Only when substitute Dan James rattled the underside of the bar with a dipping half-volley six minutes from time, and extended Saints keeper Alex McCarthy when the hourglass was down to the last grains of sand, did Leeds threaten to score.
But it was too little, too late. What a dismal way to mark the 35th anniversary of Leeds godfather Don Revie’s death. Instead of Manchester United, Chelsea and everybody else they hate, Leeds will have to treat film star shareholder Will Ferrell to away days with a government Elf warning next season. Make up your own mind where they are.
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Leeds keeper Illan Meslier had already been extended to divert Will Smallbone’s curling free-kick when Leeds were breached by a familiar nemesis. Smallbone’s nifty pass exposed a wonky offside trap, with Ethan Ampadu out of kilter with the chorus line, and Armstrong drilled his 24th goal of the season expertly into the corner, his fifth in four starts against Leeds.
With a death wish to make Charles Bronson blush with envy, Farke’s defence gave Armstrong another postcode of space to wreak havoc on the stroke of half-time, but this time Meslier’s fingertips came to the rescue.
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Sub Samuel Edozie could have made promotion more straightforward, only to blaze high and wide from only 12 yards. By the time Martin led his players towards 40,000 delirious Saints fans with the trophy, the Leeds end was deserted.
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