MIDDLESBROUGH v SPURS MATCH REPORT 18-12-05
Lillibet M

Forget all the statistics about Premiership games after Europe and past results when Spurs have been at La Riv and so on. This was one hell of a big match and losing was not an option for Boro.

Schwarzer, Queudrue, Southgate, Ehiogu, Bates, Boateng, Doriva, Morrison (Maccarone 89), Rochemback, Yakubu, Viduka
Jones, Pogatetz, Johnson, Wheater

THE FIRST HALF

The opening couple of minutes showed a fairly bright start, with the expectation that this match was going be fought very much in midfield. Rocky made a good solid pass on six minutes, but was hacked down by Dawson, who was rewarded with the first yellow card of the game.

The resulting free kick looked like it was going to be taken by Rochemback and as the visibly shaken Spurs frantically assembled the defensive wall, a ripple of anticipation could be felt far and wide. Would this be Rocky's moment to break his duck?

No. At the last moment Franck took it, with a well placed shot that was unlucky to go just wide.

After ten minutes Boro seemed to be showing more enthusiasm than craft, and it was bundling, rather than finesse, that saw the ball go towards the Spurs goal on a few occasions.

Our defence looked solid though and Ehiogu was making some good challenges and keeping Mido in his place. All told there was not a good deal of momentum and both sides looked to be doing a bit of testing.

Doriva then received a yellow card for bringing down Carrick. The free kick was taken short, and play was generally limping along from both sides at this stage. Talking of which, Morrison was soon limping after Edgar Davids hoofed into him and collected his eigth yellow card of the season.

With Rochemback giving away possession and free kicks, Spurs attempted to capitalise on the deficiency in set pieces and looked to threaten on the break. Boro looked to have left the confidence in the dressing room which was worrying as this game was not going be won by being faint hearted.

Rocky was still getting in the way as opposed to helping, the frustration showing on Boateng's face by now. Reid was still looking threatening by keeping the ball in play, near the Boro goal - no-one tried to close it down - and Keane wasted no time in sending it trickling over the line, a goal that the Boro defence could collectively have stopped.

Middlesbrough 0 Spurs 1 (Keane 25 mins)

If being a goal down at half time didn't spur Boro into action then it would be goodnight. Thankfully a bad corner by Rochemback reached Quedrue who smoothly passed to Southgate who with beautiful precision placed the ball at the foot of Yakubu who drilled a beautiful volley from the outside of his right foot and straight over Robinson.

Middlesbrough 1 Spurs 1 (Yakubu 30 mins)

With Yakubu's tenth goal of the season secured, Boro kept the pressure up, as the Spurs defence looked to be flagging. Viduka had a shot on target a couple of minutes later which was saved by Robinson.

Bates and Morrison then linked up in what looked like a promising move but Bates was brought down inside the box. The referee decided that Reid had played the ball and awarded nothing but a yellow card to Bates for dissent, much to the disgust of the fans.

As half-time approached Boro were still pressing on to take the lead and you could feel another goal in the air, perhaps from Doriva or the Yak. It was Morrison however who charged towards the penalty area and found the back of the net with a magnificent curl around the England goalie with an international standard wonder strike. This goal was ultimately credited to Yakubu, who had got in the way at the last minute but it was clearly Morrison's effort.

Middlesbrough 2 Spurs 1 (Yakubu 43 mins)

With three minutes added on there was a bit of tussling form all players as Spurs realised their plight and Boro desperately tried not to lose concentration. Although it may appear that the game had been turned around, the hard fact was that Boro would have to improve overall in the second half if they were to hang on to, or even increase, the lead.

FIRST HALF FAN REACTION

"Lucky goals but the Spurs defence wasn't up to scratch, so well deserved"
Paddy

THE SECOND HALF

There were no changes in the second half but Rocky's hours must have been numbered after the poor first half performance. It was a fairly slow start to the half, but today the result was everything.

Rochemback attepted to shoot from over twenty yards with the outside of his boot but it was another poor effort. Although trying hard it was clear that the mustard had been left with the Sunday roast and not transferred to Rocky's boots.

Robinson then showed why he is the England goalie when he made a magnificent save as the Yak nearly made it 3-1 with a header from another Morrison cross.

This was followed by danger for Boro with a Spurs break. Lee and Keane put pressure on the box with Schwarzer scooping up the ball from Jenas, but Keane picked up the ball and served it to Mido who could only manage to lash it wide over the bar.

So far this half was showing both teams holding their nerve and thinking, but not translating this into much action as a result. Another set piece came from a foul on Edgar Davids, Spurs taking approximately half an hour to decide how to play it.

Unfortunately their patience paid off as the Boro wall crumbled like a chocolate flake and the ball curled over Schwarzer's head and into the back of the net.

Middlesbrough 2 Spurs 2 (Jenas 63 mins)

Boro did not allow themselves to be defeated by this however and Morrison once again charged forward, only to be thwarted by a too-good Robinson.

The atmosphere had changed by this point and Boro had woken up. A couple more good chances came, in particular a great strike by Doriva on the bounce after yet another set piece failed to beat the first defender, but once again, trying to get the ball round Robinson was proving elusive.

Perseverance paid off and a header by Franck Queudrue from a Rochemback corner hit the underside of the bar and bounced on the line like a bullet, the assistant referee making absolutely the right decision -to the disgust of Robinson who was booked for arguing.

Middlesbrough 3 Spurs 2 (Queudrue 69 mins)

The pressure on Spurs was kept up, and with eighteen minutes left Spurs appeared to be on the back foot.

A great effort by Viduka, who had been causing serious problems all afternoon was once again saved but Spurs attempted to fight back, a break by Jenas sailing over the bar.

Into the red zone and the match certainly did not feel like it was over yet. Was there going to be another twist here?

Fan favourite Queudrue continued to show top form and was unlucky not to add a second goal to his afternoon's tally. Morrison continued to terrorise the scrappy Spurs defence as he charged through it like a hot knife through butter as Boro went for a thrilling finale, with the Yak also being unlucky not to get his deserved hat-trick.

It was sheer rotten luck for Boro that Mido saved his one good strike of the match up to equalise once more by dint of being able to jump the highest and being the first to reach Carrick's corner.

Middlesbrough 3 Tottenham 3 (Mido 83)

Never giving up the fight, Morrison continued to charge, but then sickeningly was laid out cold in the box after an accidental collision with Robbie Keane's boot.

Refereee Howard Webb appeared not to notice anything and for over five minutes the only action was from the concerned medics and the collective prayers of the Riverside for the recovery of one of the day's heroes.

With Maccarone brought on as replacement, Boro were clearly shaken by Morrison's plight as Spurs substitute Defoe forced a brilliant save from Schwarzer.

With six minutes of injury time added on, it was then Defoe's turn to hit the turf and add yet more minutes on to this tension-filled afternoon.

This gave Boro an opportunity to gain pace once more, however a couple of corners in succession did not yield results and moments later that was it.

In any other circumstances this would have been memorable as an eventful and entertaining game, but today had to be all about the result for Boro. Christmas had indeed come early to the Riverside.

FULL TIME FAN REACTION

"It's so disappointing, because there were moments when we were heroic. A exhausting afternoon all round. Thank god it's not too late just yet".
Pete


Final Whistle- 15.40 : Report Online-15.58