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BORO v MANCHESTER CITY FULL-TIME REPORT
Captain Gareth Southgate took a late fitness test this afternoon after suffering a dead leg and passed. However, Fabio Rochemback was missing with a calf strain.
Reports earlier today said that Boro were set for a clear out when the window opens in just a few short hours, so this could well the last game in a Boro shirt for some of the team...
Schwarzer, Parnaby (Bates 80), Queudrue, Southgate, Riggott, Pogatetz, Doriva, Mendieta, Morrison, Yakubu (Hasselbaink 80), Viduka
Jones, Cattermole, Maccarone
THE FIRST HALF
As we had done in the last few games, Boro made a positive start and nearly went one up after two minutes when Mad-Dog Pogatetz sent in a brilliant cross from the left which Yakubu only just missed.
Boro took the game to City and were showing all the signs of a team who were fired up for the occasion, Mad-Dog Pogatetz especially.
City's first attack came after eight minutes when Joey Barton sent a cross in that was cleared by Chris Riggott. That was the signal for City to get going and it took another clearance from Mark Viduka from Sibierski to keep our sheet clean.
Boro contained the threat and after sixteen minutes, Boro were the team who had done more but having said that, neither keeper had had a clean shot to save.
Sibierski was a threat on the left for City and Joey Barton was also starting to pull strings in the centre of midfeild, Middlesbrough's weak spot at the moment.
But instead of crumbling as we have done in recent matches, Boro used it as a spur to push on and keep trying to create. Mark Viduka almost opened the scoring on twenty-three minutes but his lashing shot deflected off Barton for a corner.
Our best chance so far came when James Morrison broke forward and sent what looked to be a great opportunity wide. A moment later Mark Viduka collected the ball on his chest and took the ball past two defenders before being brought down for a very obvious penalty which was not given.
Boro's attacking intent was the difference between today and the Blackburn game and it was nice to see, despite the distinct lack of clear-cut chances.
Late in the half, Mad-Dog Pogatetz flew down the wing again and again sent in a superb cross for James Morrison who was extremely unlucky to see his shot fly over the bar instead of into the net.
More of the same in the second half and Boro could well see their poor run of form come to an end here today.
FIRST HALF FAN REACTION
"This is the best we've played for ages. We're by far the better team and we should finish them off in the second half."
JT_Boro
THE SECOND HALF
Gareth Southgate issued a rallying call as an unchanged Boro side took the field for the second half. Surprisingly, Sibierski was taken off and replaced by Steven Ireland.
David James was almost beaten with just a couple of minutes of the half gone when James Morrison laid on a chance for Mendieta who shot wide. Boro attacked again immediately with Yakubu showing tremendous strength in shaking off two markers and setting up Mad-Dog but the finish was poor this time.
And that was the last Boro attack for some time as the game descended into a scrappy affair that more resembled a game of chess than a football match.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink started to warm up on the hour mark, probably more as a motivation tactic rather than a planned change.
We had cause for concern in the sixty-ninth minute when Andy Cole broke free from his marker and very nearly created a one-on-one chance with Skippy but the Boro goalie was more than equal to the challenge and superbly closed down his man.
Further chances at the other end for Morrison and Yakubu came to nothing and there were some tired legs starting to appear in the Boro lineup now.
With the game now at it's low point from Boro's point of view, Skippy was starting to see a lot more of the ball and he really did keep us in it with a brilliant save from a Joey Barton header. Boro had every player back at this point and were allowing City to come on to us.
City, having picked up the momentum were now in the ascendancy as Boro's confidence seaped away. A double change was made on seventy-nine minutes as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink completed his nineteen minute warm up and replaced Yakubu with Matthew Bates coming on for Stuart Parnaby.
INTO THE RED ZONE
With five minutes remaining and nothing worth reporting in that time, Boro made a mass reshuffle with Mad-Dog Pogatetz coming off and Hail Massimo coming on in the right hand side position. Mendieta went left and Boro went 4-3-3 in a last gasp attempt ot get our first win for what seemed like ages.
Boro finally surged forward with Franck Queudrue leading the attack (?) and Hail Massimo waiting in the middle for the cross that never came. Another opportunity for Hail Massimo went begging a few moments later and that was Boro's ammunition completely spent.
Another two points that we have lost at home, which is not what you need at all when you are in a relegation dogfight.
FULL TIME FAN REACTION
"A clean sheet is a victory of sorts..."
Benedict_XVI
"I feel sorry for fans who pay good money for Boro home games!"
Boro_fan_in_Aus
Final Whistle: 1653 - Report Online: 1655
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