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LIVERPOOL AWAY 30-4-05
Looking back now, this was a day of perspective and of comparison. A reminder of both the good and the bad side of the game and an opportunity to put certain things into a realistic perspective.
I didn't really want to be wandering around Liverpool city centre at 0830 on a dull rainy Saturday morning but the only other option was to arrive in Manchester at 1300 and that would have been cutting it far too fine.
Just how do you kill four hours in a city where you know nobody? I know what the obvious answer is but the pubs were nowhere near open at that unearthly hour.
It was likely that even The Urchins were not awake yet. But I imagined that it wouldn't be too long before they were, as they had made it public that they would be waiting at Lime Street for the Boro fans to arrive. As far as I know, they didn't show up.
As midday approached, the station and centre became crowded with red shirts but there was barely a white band to be seen. And the 'pool fans were great, all of them. Not one of them sent us in the wrong direction when we asked the way to the Anfield...
It's a pity that in some eyes they have gained a bad reputation because of the aforementioned fringe group, who probably cannot quote the history of the team whose colours they wear and I wonder if these scumbags have ever stood outside the Hillsborough memorial at Anfield?
The crowds were swelling around the ground with two hours to go until kick off and the buzz was already electric. However, even in the midst of this special atmosphere, one corner of Anfield remained silent. We should never forget.
And a special mention must go to the Anfield stewards who are top of the league as far as I am concerned. Their hospitality was immense and it is to their credit that they take the common sense approach of not exerting their authority by classifying passionate support as a criminal offence.
Reports of Gareth Soutgate joining the injured masses were well wide of the mark. Captain Fantastic was out there encouraging the lads, resplendent in white headband. And he never shirked a headed clearance once. In short, he was immense.
But the ComeOnBoro.com man of the match award has to go to Andy Davies who was absolutely solid in the left back position. They must have known after fifteen minutes that they would never get past him.
And after four minutes, they may have been thinking that they were not going to get beyond a level scoreline as the sub standard Pellegrino proved too slow for The Lizard, who picked up JFH's chested pass and coolly slotted home.
We didn't expect to be 1-0 up at Anfield after four minutes and perhaps it came just a little too early as we spent most of the rest of the half under constant pressure.
But we didn't crack and this particular version of the Boro back four did us proud as the threat of Morientes was extinguished with style.
On another day, we may have gone in at half time with an insurmountable deficit but on the occasions that Liverpool did get past our backline, they failed to put their chances away. Going into the break, nobody could say that we didn't deserve the lead.
If we really have to sit back and defend a slim advantage, which is obviously the tactic that we will be adopting for the rest of the season, then this is the defensive lineup to do it with.
Liverpool's mass possession was a result of us losing the midfield battle, although George Boateng was once again immense, despite spending five separate occasions on the floor requiring treatment.
The home fans seemed to think that this was a tactic that we using to allow Steve Harrison to get onto the field and pass messages to the team. I have no idea how they came to that conclusion?
We were under the cosh from the moment that the second half began and you could feel the equaliser coming. Not because our defence was faltering but simply because of the sheer amount of pressure that we under.
Not even the excellent Brad Jones could do anything about Steven Gerrard's wonder goal. Perhaps he could have been picked up earlier by our midfield but left alone and with time and space aplenty, he teed it up and crashed a piledriving shot though the defence and into the left hand corner. You just had to admire it, even though it brought the home support to life and put us under even more pressure.
Yet to our credit, we held out and suddenly, we were released from our torture as Liverpool seemed to throw their hands in the air and give up the chase.
The introduction of Stewey Downing gave us a huge injection of confidence and as he made another telling run down the left, we felt as though three points was a definite possibility.
Stuart Parnaby supplied the cross that nearly delivered them with his first touch of the game but there was nobody there to finish the move and the game off.
All in all, this was a thoroughly deserved point and on another day, we could easily have scored our first ever Premiership victory at Anfield.
Steve Mc was criticised for reverting to 4-5-1 during the second half. That particular tactic may reduce the excitement level but it is clear that on this occasion, it was responsible for the gaining of a point.
A point that could be decisive in two week's time when the battle for the UEFA Cup places is over. And on this form and with this spirit, Boro will be more than there or thereabouts.
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