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MIDDLESBROUGH 2 BRISTOL CITY 2 (MIDDLESBROUGH WIN 5-4 ON PENALTIES), FA Cup 4th Round Replay, Tuesday 13th February 2007
Bristol City's optimism after coming back from a two goal deficit at Ashton Gate against the Boro may have been obliterated by the fact that they have not won in the last three League games. However they were confident of taking a big scalp here and Boro had to be careful.
Gareth Southgate chose to rest a few first team regulars. Mark Viduka was relegated to the bench in favour of Malcolm Christie in attack. He was to partner Yakubu in a 4-4-2 formation.
Fabio Rochemback was recalled in midfield whilst right-back Seb Hines started in his second successive home FA Cup game. Like he did at Stamford Bridge, Abel Xavier was to partner Emmanuel Pogatetz in the centre of defence. Andrew Taylor played left-back.
With Lee Cattermole out on the right and Stewart Downing on the left, Rochemback was to partner George Boateng in the centre of midfield. James Morrison meanwhile did not even feature on the bench.
Schwarzer, Hines (Davies 45), Pogatetz, Xavier, Taylor, Cattermole (Johnson 68), Rochemback, Boateng, Downing, Yakubu, Christie (Viduka 45), Jones, Euell
THE FIRST HALF
After the third throw-in I wet myself. Neither side were getting on top of the game in the early stages, with Bristol City holding their own. Yet a Downing cross on three minutes caused a few disturbances in the City penalty area but it was easily cleared.
A minute later and Yakubu stumbled after trying to pass it to Cattermole in the box. It was an encouraging start - largely because the big guy didn't go down.
The first shot of the game came on six - and it came the way of Bristol City. Boateng might as well have been told to "f-off" by the referee after appealing for a free-kick once he had been bundled over some thirty yards out. This allowed David Noble to take a shot from twenty-five yards. It was comfortably collected by Mark Schwarzer.
On eight the lights must have gone out in the dressing room. This resulted in an almighty panic on the bench with Southgate and Cooper urging Boro to "switch, switch".
A minute later the pre-match lard that had been smeared on the pitch (for that extra punting pleasure) cost the Boro dear - the greasy ball skimming beyond Christie from a Rochemback pass. Either that or the Brazilian's pass was poor.
That was typical of Boro's game at this stage. Two passes was our record, which made you wonder how the players manage to pass the salt at the Rockliffe dining table.
This inevitably allowed City to assault us - a free-kick eventually resulting in David Noble's boot clattering into Boateng's nose. Blame Xavier - he was the defender Noble managed to beat (but not with his fist or other foot, of course).
Boro's first meaningful effort came on sixteen, with Yakubu's power terrorising the City backline. From twenty yards out he lashed a shot towards goal - a plan perfectly executed except the ball went wide. So not perfectly executed then.
And neither was Boro's defending on twenty-two. The backline was more square than Mr Strong stuck in a set-square as one ball beat all four of them. The offside trap failed to spring and the mouse scuttled through - and it would have to be David Noble - a persistent thorn in our side. The City striker rounded Schwarzer to score the opening goal of the game from twelve yards out. And then came the atmosphere.
MIDDLESBROUGH 0 BRISTOL CITY 1 (Noble, 23)
Boro tried to respond with gusto. A Downing corner was headed by Hines who, had he been aiming for Christie's back, would have scored. The ball clattered off the Boro striker and off to safety.
Boro's intention was pure but their attacking was shocking. It was all down to the greasy surface - forcing this writer to wonder why we didn't play on sand, beach volleyball style. But then the sight of Premiership players in skimpy trunks in the middle of winter was probably something that would contribute to rather than arrest falling attendances. Chuck a free pie in and perhaps some of us would be there.
Boro's poverty was on their right - with Cattermole proving that he was more of a central midfield player than a winger. Yet it was unfair to solely blame the youngster - City's passing was better and they were more comfortable on the ball than the home side. In fact it was more humiliating then selling Massimo Maccarone on a free after paying over eight million for him.
Like a manic depressive with marital problems and a dodgy car - Boro kept breaking down. This was particularly the case in attack - which was disintegrating more rapidly than my silk boxers in a high temperature wash.
City's attack meanwhile was causing us problems, without really doing all too much. Schwarzer made a few collections and some good deliveries - but then his second job as a postman was starting to pay dividends.
City looked like the Premiership outfit whereas Boro more resembled my tatty boxers. With two minutes to go Boro needed to clear their heads and have some halftime oranges - along with other footballing clichés (like "stick the ball in the onion bag" and "switch, switch").
After such a sloppy display, Boro were unnecessarily booed off the pitch at halftime. The defence was rocky and the midfield was Rocky. And that was the problem. Along with Boateng, Cattermole, Downing etc etc. It had to improve in the second half.
THE SECOND HALF
Judging from the first half performance, Boro had clearly run out of beans and this meant the inevitable - Seb Hines had to be substituted. He was replaced by Andrew Davies (and hopefully a half-decent pun). Mark Viduka meanwhile came on for Malcolm Christie in the hope of providing some extra beans in attack.
Chris Weale was forced into making his first save on fifty-one when Viduka and Yakubu linked up to allow the latter through. Yakubu's shot from twelve yards was somewhat tame howver, allowing the City keeper to collect comfortably.
At this stage, the game was about as interesting as a Paul Daniels Magic Act - and Boro definitely needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat if they had any aspiration of playing West Brom on Saturday. The thought crossed my mind of a Boro player wearing bunny ears and a bob-tail clambering into an over-sized novelty top hat but again I was sick on my computer screen before that idea bore any serious fruit.
Boro however were getting closer and closer - particularly Mark Viduka who was doing his finest bunny impression. The Australian took the ball off Boateng's toe on fifty-eight, lashing a fierce shot just beyond the upright. A minute earlier he had forced a save from Weale after he had drilled a shot towards him from twenty yards.
Whilst Viduka was hopping, the fans were hoping (or just hopping mad). But with Boro resorting to long balls it was difficult to see where the opening would come. A few shots were blasted wide, much to the cheers of the travelling army, as City were continuing to frustrate the home side.
On sixty-seven Lee Cattermole was replaced by Adam Johnson - another natural left winger. This meant that Downing was forced on to the right with Johnson accommodating the left-midfield berth. The baffling decision not to place Morrison on the bench was highlighted.
But then what do I know - I just write this poor-quality rubbish. Thirty seconds later Downing provided Boro's first cross of the game from the right-wing, finding Mark Viduka unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box. And the Australian made no mistake, heading the ball powerfully into the back of the net. The relief around the Riverside was immense.
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Viduka, 69) BRISTOL CITY 1
On seventy-three Viduka won a free-kick after being pushed by Lee Johnson. Rochemback opted for power rather than placement with the set-play - and failed to get it beyond the wall. The ball deflected for a corner but nothing sustained came from this.
On seventy-seven Viduka was unlucky, controlling the ball by chesting it and then hitting it across the face of goal. He had profited from hesitance in the City back-line but a scuffed shot did not help his chances of netting the winner.
Now it was City's turn to hit long balls - legs tiring and sitting deep. On eighty Rochemback tried to take advantage by running at the City defence. Middle of the goal, twenty yards out he took a shot that deflected to Downing. The Academy player punted the ball towards the goal, striking the post in the process. The ball deflected to safety.
The frame of the goal was seeing some action now - as City's overplaying in defence almost cost them. Johnson picked up the ball and struck a shot from thirty yards that hit the underside of the bar and bounced out. Mark Viduka could not capitalise on the rebound from six yards, blasting his volley over the goal.
As the clock ticked ominously towards extra-time the fans were becoming slightly restless at the lack of attacking activity displayed by both teams. Boro were almost playing keep-ball at this stage but they were still coming - a Viduka volley being well-blocked by Jamie McCombe in the final minute.
City came at the Boro towards the end but failed to produce anything more substantial than a throw-in. And so extra time beckoned and Boro had another thirty minutes to assert their Premiership class.
EXTRA TIME - THE FIRST HALF
A cheeky back-heel heralded the first half of extra time as I had to desperately route around my mind for more poor jokes to fill the next thirty minutes. The Boro came out hungry and were quickly on the attack but a Downing/Johnson combination broke down due to the depth of City's backline.
On ninety-two Viduka decided to take some dancing lessons in City's penalty area - taking the ball as his partner as he do-see-doed and foxtrotted his way to dancing glory. Unfortunately Bruce Forsyth could have done better with the shot - because it never came. Like a geeky nuclear physicist at a science fiction convention.
A minute later Yakubu won a penalty when Jamie McCombe cynically brought down the Nigerian as he darted into the box. The fans appealed and the referee obliged, pointing to the spot.
City goalkeeper Chris Weale decided that now was the time to do up his shoelaces and prat about with his shinpads. This may have distracted the Boro striker as when Yakubu finally stepped up to take the penalty, his usual reliability deserted him. In fact it was tamely taken with the side of his foot, allowing Weale to comfortably claim. So 1-1 it remained.
But Yakubu atoned for his error some five minutes later. Adam Johnson was the architect cutting in from the right and playing a one-two with Downing. Johnson's left footed shot from twelve yards out was too hot for Weale to handle and the Yak made no mistake from close range.
MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Yakubu, 101) BRISTOL CITY 1
Towards the end of the half Johnson tried to feed in Viduka but his ball was slightly too far beyond the Australian, it being comfortably cleared by Richard Keogh. And with that the whistle blew - only fifteen more minutes to go.
EXTRA TIME - THE SECOND HALF
Boro came at City at the start of the fourth half of the game but the League One side were resilient. City tried a few attacks of their own but they broke down in the final third.
Three minutes in good link up play between Viduka and Yakubu let the Australian in and he should have killed the game. From twelve yards out Viduka blazed the ball over the bar, much to the collective groans of the crowd.
The question that must be asked at this stage is "did Boro want to bury Bristol City?" A minute later all the tricky in the world from Viduka was nullified by a shot from Yakubu that was quite frankly useless. From six yards out, he should have done better.
And then, as if to highlight Boro's profligacy, it was praise be to Pogatetz. City had a rare foray into the Boro box and from eighteen yards out Jennison Myrie-Williams had a shot that was cleared off the line by the Austrian. Boro's defence was absent from the corner and Boro nearly fell for another City sucker-punch - a Craig Woodman cross finally being cleared by Adam Johnson.
A man wearing only a pair of stained grey pants then invaded the pitch which means I for one will be having unpleasant dreams tonight. After he had been frog-marched to the laundrette for some much needed Persil, Johnson restarted the game and Boro went on the attack once more.
Johnson then decided to have a game of pin the tail on the Downing - where the ball was the tail and Downing was Downing. A blasted shot from thirty yards out hit the England player and the ball broke to the visitors.
And then the inevitable happened. Boro's defence evaporated and City profited. A Scott Murray cross found its way to centre-back Jamie McCombe, who was now playing a striker's role. He made no mistake from twelve yards out, placing the ball beyond Schwarzer and into the bottom-left of the goal. It looked like the tie was going to penalties.
MIDDLESBROUGH 2 BRISTOL CITY 2 (McCombe, 116)
Sitting deep and hanging in was the order of the day for the League One side but Rochemback was on the ball and he wasn't afraid to use it. Unfortunately Yakubu was and the move broke down in one simple pass.
Boro were desperately searching for the winner but the final whistle blew and the lottery of penalties was upon us. It was a game we shouldn't have drawn - we had spurned chance after chance and sloppiness had been our downfall. Still, hopefully Yakubu wouldn't miss this time.
PENALTIES
The penalties were taken in front of the New Holgate End - or the North Stand if you like to be bland. Bristol City had the advantage of taking their spot-kicks first and as Phil Jevons walked up to take his kick, he was greeted to a chorus of boos.
MIDDLESBROUGH 0 BRISTOL CITY 0 (Jevons misses, Schwarzer saved to right)
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 BRISTOL CITY 0 (Downing scores)
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 BRISTOL CITY 1 (Orr scores)
MIDDLESBROUGH 2 BRISTOL CITY 1 (Viduka scores)
MIDDLESBROUGH 2 BRISTOL CITY 2 (Murray scores)
MIDDLESBROUGH 3 BRISTOL CITY 2 (Rochemback scores)
MIDDLESBROUGH 3 BRISTOL CITY 3 (Keogh scores)
MIDDLESBROUGH 4 BRISTOL CITY 3 (Xavier scores)
MIDDLESBROUGH 4 BRISTOL CITY 4 (Russell scores)
MIDDLESBROUGH 4 BRISTOL CITY 4 (Yakubu hits left hand post)
SUDDEN DEATH
MIDDLESBROUGH 4 BRISTOL CITY 4 (Woodman misses, Schwarzer saves)
MIDDLESBROUGH 5 BRISTOL CITY 4 (Johnson scores)
So Boro progressed to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup the hard way. Bristol City were a credit to their League but in honesty they should have been dead and buried before it ever got to this stage. Penalty shoot-outs are never fair but at least the Boro are through. And now there will be a reunion with Tony Mowbray.
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