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MIDDLESBROUGH v WIGAN BLAST FROM THE PAST
Wigan. Having only played them four times in our history before Saturday it's no wonder that memories are a little thin on the ground. Like Wimbledon before them, this poorly supported but family orientated club have quickly risen through the ranks to become the Europe-chasing Premiership contenders that they are today. And that is a success story in itself from such humble roots. But it is a success that has been generated through sheer endeavour, grit and determination - the very qualities that the Boro are going to have to show on the pitch on Saturday if they are to defeat this well-organised and battling side. Shame that these are the very qualities that we have been lacking in recent weeks. Still, let's just hope we can re-find them and kick-start our faltering season by beating the Latics.
Andy Craig
Wigan 1-1 Middlesbrough, 18/09/2005
Whilst it is well known that we have the best chairman in the League, Dave Whelan is surely pushing Gibbo for that crown. After purchasing The Latics eleven years ago, his backing has helped transform them from the trough of the football league to a sturdy Premiership outfit.
A League Cup final place is within their grasp, with the chance to mirror our own exploits by defeating Arsenal U19s in the semi-finals. Recent form has been patchy but Paul Jewell's team should at worst finish comfortably in mid-table, whilst at best be fighting for a UEFA Cup slot. I don't begrudge them this at all, though I'll admit my surprise after Boro's trip to the JJB back in September.
Just eight days earlier we had beaten Arsenal 2-1 at the Riverside and spirits were high - though coming off the back of a Thursday night UEFA cup victory against Xanthi, the Boro faithful were hoping not to take our poor Sunday form into this game. Wigan themselves had taken six points from their last two games, but with the opposition being West Brom and Sunderland it wasn't exactly sending shivers down my spine.
Having travelled up by train early to meet Packwolf and Ruth, I got a call from a positively chirpy Wizard of Smog informing me to get my arse down to the ground and into a marquee that the club had laid on for visiting fans. What he didn't tell me was that it was quite a trek from the station to the ground (he'd taken his bike with him). Having worked up a thirst I met with Wiz and Smogmonster vs Godzilla (along with his son James, who was about to witness his first Boro game).
Comments were passed about recent form (erratic), quality of pies in Wigan (Wiz instigated and led this conversation) and the fantastic hospitality laid on by our hosts (never had it so good). I only hoped that Viduka and Yakubu would find the home teams' defence as welcoming.
After Wiz, self confessed gastronome of the pastry, had finished his lunch and Packwolf and Ruth finally arrived in time for a quick drink we headed into the stands for the match.
This was my first chance to see new signing Fabio Rochemback, and after impressing in the UEFA Cup games against us last season I was expecting big things. Indeed it can be said that his touches were neat and tidy and a couple of early tricks bamboozled the Wigan midfield.
And after just quarter of an hour, Boro took the lead. A Xavier free kick was nodded on by Viduka and smashed with venom into the net by The Yak. Elation all round the away end was augmented as we waved goodbye to one hapless Wigan fan, escorted out of the ground by the stewards for what one assumes was language and gesticulations that could only be described as colourful.
Just before the break Boro had a great chance to wrap up the three points only for the woodwork to deny a Pogo header from a Rocky free kick with the Wigan keeper rooted.
After the break it was a different story. Boro seemed content to hold on to their slender lead, even after McCulloch had sent a warning signal by planting the ball in the net, albeit after impeding Skippy.
Viduka was replaced by the resurgent Maccarone who, to his credit, worked hard but seemed to be chasing shadows for much of time. Rochemback meanwhile had faded badly, though with Doriva already having replaced the injured Morrison, McClaren opted to stick with the Brazilian than revert to a different formation and bringing on the promising youngster Matty Bates.
Unfortunately Wigan pressure told as Ugo failed to deal with a bouncing left wing cross, and substitute Henri Camara jostled in front of Southgate to poke the ball past Skippy and into the net. The decibel level inside the JJB rose and from thereon in only one team was likely to get a winner, leaving Boro to cling to a point for the remaining 15 minutes.
After leaving the stadium Packwolf, Ruth, Wiz and I retired to the boozer for a quick drink before I left to catch the train home to London. Following a nightmare journey which involved a three hour delay, I ended up back in London after all the trains had finished running and ended up having to queue for another two hours before getting a taxi back to my flat.
In a slightly surreal moment whilst stranded at Euston station around midnight, I watched a contented Wiz cycle past me with a satisfied look on his face. There was a man who'd had his pie and eaten it.
Andrew Morgan
Wigan 1-1 Middlesbrough, 18/09/2005
There is little that I can add to the above really. This was my girlfriend's second-ever Boro match and after her witnessing the debacle at Villa Park last season, I had a lot of convincing to do before she could accept that the Boro were a good, free-flowing and exciting side. I hoped that this performance against her hometown club would do just that. Unfortunately, after this damp squib of a game (particularly the second half) I just had to give up. But I tried. Shame the same couldn't have been said about some of the players in the second half that afternoon.
The marquee/bar in the away end was a fantastic gesture by Wigan to the away fans and I can only hope that other clubs take their lead. The Wiz was made happy by cheap pie and peas, indeed so much so that he went back for seconds, whilst it did little for me as I had turned vegetarian about a fortnight previously. Good craic was had as this was my first away match of the season and I had a lot of catching up to do. Meanwhile the Wiz questioned my decision to bring my girlfriend to the game after her talismanic effect against Villa back in March. I ignored his quip and psyched myself up for the game.
The first half was actually quite good - Boro were on top for most of it and the Yak's goal was that of a natural-born poacher. The Boro fans relaxed and all joined in with the 'Bye-bye, bye-bye's' we dished out to a hapless home fan who got a little too vexed with our celebrations.
But after that we took our foot off the gas and were content to soak up pressure - a common tactic of McClaren's and one that frustrates the hell out of me as one nasty bobble or mistake can lead to an opposition goal. And unfortunately Ugo was that individual, completely hashing a clearance and allowing Henri Camara to steal in.
It was a disappointing goal to concede as it had been obviously coming for the previous 20 minutes. And the frustrating thing was that McClaren had not seen this. And he still wasn't seeing it. Plus all it did was awake the home fans from their quiescent slumber and gave them a reason to finally make some noise. Thus from here we had to sit through an edgy final 20 hoping we could hold on to a point in a game we should have had wrapped up at half-time. Our fans were pensive, despite my best efforts to rouse them. Indeed I appeared to be the only one starting any chants in the final portion of the game, much to my girlfriend's cringing embarrassment
When the game was over she commented on how good a side Wigan were and how they deserved to win. I groaned. My job was now futile. And indeed she still comments negatively about the Boro to this day (maybe that makes her the ideal Boro fan then.). So thanks for that McClaren. (but in hindsight this was Wigan's only points dropped in ten Premier League games so maybe it was a good result after all).
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