BACK TO ARCHIVE INDEX © All written site content is copyright ComeOnBoro.com 2004-2007, unless otherwise stated, and is not to be used without prior permission.	BRISTOL CITY 2 MIDDLESBROUGH 2, FA Cup Fourth Round, Saturday 27 January 2007 Middlesbrough went into this game hoping to preserve their unbeaten record in 2007. They had to do it against a resurgent Bristol City side who themselves were unbeaten in sixteen. Boro were hampered by being without influential striker Mark Viduka, who was sidelined with a slight hamstring problem. This meant a rare start for Malcolm Christie, who was to partner Yakubu up front in a 4-4-2 formation. The only other change to the side was that of James Morrison, who replaced the suspended George Boateng. He moved to the right whilst Lee Cattermole and Julio Arca played in the centre of midfield. Schwarzer, Xavier, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Morrison (Johnson 85), Cattermole, Arca, Downing, Yakubu, Christie (Euell 74), Jones, Davies, Hines THE FIRST HALF Ashton Gate was a cauldron as the game kicked-off at frenetic pace. Emmanuel Pogatetz was the star-man for the Boro in the opening exchanges, defending against some swift and pressing City attacks. But Downing was rampant, continuing where he left off against Bolton. A poor defensive ball passed along City's twenty yard box allowed the youngster to steal in and run beyond the despairing right-back, Bradley Orr. His whipped cross was parried by Adriano Basso but the ball broke to Yakubu, who put the Boro in the lead, crashing the ball into the top of the net. BRISTOL CITY 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Yakubu, 4) The Boro were now in the ascendancy and were peppering the City goal with crosses and shots. Downing was the principle architect, undoubtedly catching the eye of Bristol City Council who hoped that he would be able to redesign their city after the game. The Austrian Pogatetz meanwhile was making strong runs towards the back stick, hoping to be the vrekker of City hearts by powering in a goal-scoring header. On ten, Malcolm Christie should have made it two. Another great ball by Downing beat the City defence and from an acute angle, Christie's side-footed effort was saved by Bosso. From the corner Xavier piled in a powerful header but Bosso caught it on his line. The Bristol backline, like the average Geordie chest, was playing a bit flat and was allowing the men to take advantage. This was the route to Downing's success who was revelling in letting his balls whip the City defence. At the other end, City were overplaying things, a bit like a paranoid depressive in the menopause. Bristol's first corner came on fourteen, amidst much applause from the home fans. Lee Johnson's shot would have counted had the game been one of "how many times can we hit Lee Cattermole" but alas the tenacious youngster performed the block for his team. From the next corner Bristol added two more to their tally, meaning that it was three-nil to City in the "who can twat Lee Cattermole" stakes. The Boro were going to have to try a lot harder if they were to leave Ashton Gate with a positive Lee Cattermole crippling result. Things were getting confusing now as there were gates everywhere - Woodgate, Southgate, Ashton Gate and possibly Cow & Gate for Maccarone after he's thrown his toys out of the pram. On eighteen however Mark Schwarzer was called into the save as the defence parted wider than a crack-whore's legs to allow Cole Skuse to crack a shot at goal from eighteen yards. Chris Waddle's guide to shooting had evidently been studied as the ball got caught in the roof on twenty-one. Bristol City immediately rang the guttering experts who said "well, it's a big job - I wouldn't like to say how long it will take - we'll come round sometime Thursday and give you a time, we'll give you an estimate". The referee, instead, decided just to get a new ball. A terrific move broke me from this bout of whimsy as Malcolm Christie stuck the ball past a despairing Bosso. In the build-up Bristol City committed suicide again (nice trick that) by passing the ball across their own backline, allowing Morrison to steal in. He passed it to Christie who made no mistake from six yards out, chipping over the already committed keeper (his wedding is next week). BRISTOL CITY 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Christie, 22) On twenty-five Morrison had a shot at gaol by having such a poor effort that he should have been put inside and the key thrown away. With just bread and water. And just a bucket. But as he had just set up Christie, we all forgave him whilst the City crowd laughed. The Boro crowd returned their cat-calls, as we were two-nil up. A quick thought of Sean Bean later and Schwarzer caught the ball under the pressure of City's attack. Apparently he was dressed all in blue so evidently he had not taken off his Postman Pat costume from last night's fancy dress party (£25 from the local fancy dress shop - check Yellow Pages). Still at least he was delivering - which was very much unlike the service we had been used to before Christmas. On thirty-five Downing had the opportunity to be the hero but unfortunately his pants were inside his shorts and not the other way round. He shot with his weaker right foot, allowing Bosso to save comfortably. So the only flying there would be tonight from the youngster would be flying down the wing. Which was probably for the best come to think of it. The game was becoming like a leg-waxing section - with the Boro being the seedy client and City the tempting masseuse. Boro were inviting City pressure in the hope of receiving some unnecessary pain once Boro's defensive man-hair was stripped away. On thirty-seven Enoch Showunmi looped a header over the bar after a Jamie McAllister shot had been blocked by Woodgate - the crosses causing problems for Boro whilst the City fans were waxing lyrical about their dominance. On forty, Andrew Taylor should have made it three. He demonstrated why he is a defender and not a striker by fluffing an effort from twelve yards out, punting the ball wide. Despite their possession, City could do very little with it but Middlesbrough were playing some good keep-football of their own. Yet they could not find the penetration to secure their third and the game ended in a chorus of boos after a controversial booking for City striker Enoch Showunmi. THE SECOND HALF Boro broke out of the traps more rabid than a greyhound snarling at that little whizzy rabbit thing but then tripped over their paws through a lapse in concentration. Yakubu fluffed a shot from twenty-five yards - the only fluff that this hound was going to be getting today. On forty-seven Andrew Taylor won a tussle because he had more muscle. I imagined him rapping about it, pimped up to the eyeballs with gold, surrounded by his defensive homies singing: "My name's Andy T, don't disrespect me, coz I can win a tussle, coz I have more muscle" before scratching. It was sure to be a Mark Page classic. A minute later Lee Johnson had a shot from twelve yards that resulted in open play - as opposed to that closed play we all keep hearing about. Another minute later and the contractors would have to be called once more after another ball was lodged in the guttering. It was very much like the cantankerous old cow who always confiscated your ball whenever it went in their garden. No doubt Lee Cattermole cried about it. On fifty-three Bristol City reduced the arrears - rising like a phoenix out of the Ash-ton. The background music was atrocious after the goal, compounding the pain but it was no less than what the home side deserved. Richard Keogh glanced a Lee Johnson cross beyond Schwarzer who was in no-man's land. The stadium exploded like a battleground at war-time as the City fans suddenly found their voice. BRISTOL CITY 1 (Keogh, 53) MIDDLESBROUGH 2 City were all over the Boro at this stage but Boro tried a counter-attack on fifty-five. Christie tried to pierce the ball through to Arca but the ball was cleared for a corner. From this the ball broke to Downing, who pretended to cross the ball in on his left but ended up checking on his right. He hit a shot that again deflected for a corner. A goal-mouth scramble ensued from this further set-play, with Abel Xavier being unlucky not to take advantage. Bristol City were still in the ascendancy however and on fifty-eight they ruthlessly made this count. Lee Cattermole fouled Scott Murray and Lee Johnson took the set-play. Schwarzer came all the way to the penalty spot merely to punch the ball away but he did not get enough purchase on his clearance. The ball fell to Murray twenty yards out and he volleyed the ball into the empty net. The stadium erupted like Vesuvius, just with less hot magma. The dust meanwhile had yet to settle on Boro's profligacy. BRISTOL CITY 2 (Murray, 58) MIDDLESBROUGH 2 City were the master to Boro's bitch at this moment in time, and Boro were panting laboriously like an overweight hound on its last legs. To be honest, that's nothing new - after all dogs are characteristically known to hate leads (a bit like our editor come to think of it) - so throwing one away here was hardly surprising. Yet Boro were doing their best to gift City a third. On sixty-one Downing had to clear the ball off the line after a Liam Fontane header from six yards out. It was desperate as a ragged Boro were hanging on. Another shot on sixty-three, this time from David Noble, was fumbled by Schwarzer as the home fans sensed blood. On sixty-four however Downing decided to go walkies, trying to construct some sort of effort for the visitors. The Boro were keeping possession occasionally but were often giving the ball back to their masters, hoping that they would throw it back to them at some point in the future. Boro were also stopping every time they heard a whistle, looking around inquisitively for the source of the sound. To be fair, Bristol City were doing this too but they had won a series of free kicks from which they had profited and the hope from the home camp was that they could win some more. On sixty-seven City were again profiting from Schwarzer's saves as another parry, this time from a Bradley Orr cross, broke to David Noble who only managed to blast the ball wide from twelve yards. Two Boro corners relieved the pressure somewhat but all that came from these was a tame Morrison shot that was frankly a waste of time. Schwarzer's game meanwhile was causing problems - his postal sack obviously restricting his judgement as another fumble almost let the opposition in once more. Thankfully it was cleared for a throw-in. On seventy-four Jason Euell replaced Malcolm Christie as the formation was rearranged from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 in the hope of containing the rampant opposition. Euell however was attacking more than he was defending, in a period of play where Boro were trying to re-assert their alpha-dog credentials. Two free headers later - one at either end - were not worth reporting but as nothing else was happening I thought I might as well. Meanwhile I notched up a dog-tag with "Middlesbrough FC" on the front and the Riverside Ticket Office phone number on the reverse for all the players to wear in the next game. I just need to get the matching red dog collars now. On eighty-two Bristol were lucky not to concede a penalty after fouling Euell in the box as he was about to unleash a shot. However Graham Poll was having none of it, muzzling the beast before it had the chance to bark. A minute later, confusion in the box between Schwarzer, Pogatetz and Woodgate gifted the home side a corner. Our defending was akin to that of a psychotic puppy running after its own tail - only far less cute and definitely less believable. The corner flashed straight in front of goal, eluding all the City players. It was another let-off as none of the home side were marked in the box. On eighty-five Morrison made way for Adam Johnson. Pogatetz's defending meanwhile was as chronic as ever, forgetting that he was playing for the away side today and therefore was not playing in red. I thought about what would happen if footballers were colour-blind. How would they cope? I resolved to find myself the answer. On eighty-eight Boro won a free-kick in a promising position. The play was too long however, allowing only Pogatetz to pick the ball up by the corner flag. He tried the nutmeg but failed, giving possession back to the home side. And that was that really. The Boro players should have left to "how much is that doggy in the window" as the Bristol City fans cheered their comeback. Boro were suicidal in defence after dominating the first half. Boro could have won this easily - in the end they threw it away. Another replay, another game. But at least we're still in it. After all, it could have been a lot, lot worse. FULL TIME FAN REACTION "5-0 at La Riv" Boro1876 "Poor result - all the more so as we had a two goal lead" A Cam Goes Wandering SEND THIS TO A FRIEND BACK TO BRISTOL CITY MATCH PROGRAMME INDEX
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