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SUNDERLAND v MIDDLESBROUGH 31-1-06 - FULL TIME REPORT
This one really was nothing short of do or die. It's been said this week that if Boro lost this match, we would almost certainly lose our Premiership status as well. There was far more than local pride at stake tonight.
Steve McClaren's team selection was surprising with Yakubu left on the bench in favour of JFH and Mark Viduka. Andy Taylor was in from the start and Doriva made a return to the starting line-up.
Schwarzer, Taylor, Pogatetz, Southgate, Parnaby, Mendieta, Doriva, Cattermole, Downing, Hasselbaink (Yakubu), Viduka (Davies)
Jones, Johnson, Maccarone
THE FIRST HALF
There was a typically fiery derby atmosphere in the Stadium of Light tonight and the Boro crowd were nearly sent into raptures in the first minute as we won a free-kick just outside the box, which Stewey Downing drilled in only to see it blocked by Whitehead.
That was the only really meaningful action of the first twelve minutes as the match turned into a midfield battle that neither team really got the better of. But Boro were showing spirit and fight and we would be needing plenty of that to see off Sunderland tonight.
On thirteen minutes, Sunderland managed to break out of the midfield quagmire as a brilliant ball from Breen was collected by Le Tallec who failed to convert what was definitely a golden oportunity. It was the first real clear cut chance of the match.
Boro won another free-kick a few minutes later which was floated in by Stewey Downing again and met by Mad-Dog Pogatetz who headed it home for his first ever goal in a Middlesbrough shirt. He may never score a more important one for us.
SUNDERLAND 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Pogatetz 19)
Boro, buoyed by taking the lead, pushed on and made good efforts to create more, Downing especially working hard and Mendieta putting himself around and keeping busy. Up to now, it was the most encouraging performance from Boro for a long while.
Sunderland had a penalty appeal turned down on twenty-eight minutes from their first attack since Le Tallec's earlier chance but it was a vague appeal and the referee rightly waived play on.
Boro did indeed play on but after negotiating the midfield traffic jam, the ball came straight back to our box again. Mad-Dog Pogataetz cut out the challenge and Boro broke, Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink combining well to produce an attack out of nothing, Viduka laying the ball on to Stuart Parnaby who crashed a splendid shot home.
SUNDERLAND 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Parnaby 31)
Sunderland made an immediate substitution with Kyle replacing Collins in defence. Sunderland were still fighting and continued to try and cut the deficit but almost every attack was cut out by Mad-Dog who was having easily his best Boro game so far.
Boro were in the ascendancy now and our well earned lead was all down to the fact that we had actually turned out motivated and up for it this time. This was an indication of what we can do when we try and the performance was making a mockery of our league position. At half-time, Boro were pretty much home and dry, and all we needed to do now was not sit on it and give Sunderland a way back.
THE SECOND HALF
As far as Sunderland were concerned, this game was far from over though and they attacked from the restart but the end product was poor, as had been the norm so far tonight.
Boro were far more inventive in attack in the opening exchanges of the half and almost added a third on fifty minutes when Viduka played Pogatetz through for what should have been his second of the night. The shot was deflected wide but it was a marker that Boro were not going to settle for what they already had. At least up to this point.
Sunderland should have put themselves back into it on the hour mark as continued pressure led to a breakaway and an opportunity for Whitehead which he blasted over the bar. He should have done better but we were happy that he didn't.
The game then started to turn in favour of the home side in a dramatic way. Boro were not countering like they did in the first half and were allowing Sunderland far too many opportunities to come onto us. In fact Sunderland were starting to rattle us now.
They won a free-kick when Mendieta brought down Arca. The free-kick was taken by Whitehead himself and once again, Sunderland missed yet another chance when the ball came back to Whitehead whose shot dangerously ricocheted back to Skippy.
Worries that Boro had backed off and were happy to sit on the lead were confirmed when Mark Viduka was replaced by Andy Davies, a defender coming on for a striker when we were under the most pressure we had been under all game.
Eventually, Boro broke out of defence and right against the current run of play, finished the game off in style as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink picked up the ball in the middle of the park and sent a rocket of a shot into the bottom right of the net.
SUNDERLAND 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 3 (Hasselbaink 70)
The third goal was cruel on Sunderland after the way they had dominated the half but if you get four or five good chances and don't convert them, then you have nobody but yourself to blame.
Adam Johnson made an appearance on seventy-three minutes as Stewey Downing was withdrawn and after a few minutes of non-action, on came Yakubu, replacing Jimmy Floyd who received a massive ovation from the travelling red army. The transfer window closes in two and a half hours but it is doubtful that this was Jimmy's last game in a Boro shirt.
The stadium was starting to empty now as Sunderland started to give up the ghost. As for the Boro, the game was well won by this stage and with the fans in fine voice, the team started to cruise.
The importance of this victory cannot be overstated. As well as adding the killer goal against the run of play, we had actually managed to keep a clean sheet for the first time since circa 1921 and this outstanding result should go a long way towards restoring lost confidence.
But having said that, it's not time to get over excited yet as the reality is that we are celebrating a win against the worst team in the history of the Premier league. A team with only two wins to their name all season, one of them gained at The Riverside. We still have a lot of work to do but as a starting point, this will do very nicely.
Final Whistle: 2138 - Report Online: 2140
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